Widespread product safety violations linked to the online platform Temu have raised major regulatory alarms in Europe. According to a February 2025 report by BEUC, over 200 consumer goods failed basic EU safety checks, highlighting growing risks for retailers, importers, logistics providers, and digital platforms involved in the value chain.
Chemical Hazards and Regulatory Breaches in Consumer Goods
Product tests coordinated by national consumer groups in Denmark, Italy, and the UK revealed extensive non-compliance with EU laws. In toys, tests found excessive levels of borates—linked to reproductive harm—and hormone-disrupting phthalates at up to 240 times the legal limit. In disposable tableware and baking paper, elevated fluorine levels indicated the illegal presence of PFAS, banned in Denmark due to serious health concerns.
These findings underscore the mounting challenge of monitoring goods entering the EU through online channels, where low-cost imports often bypass standard regulatory scrutiny.
Unsafe Electronics, Cosmetics, and Household Items in Focus
The report also highlights deficiencies in electrical tools, wireless cameras, and cosmetic products. UK-based tests revealed that 100% of smart doorbells and cameras lacked mandatory security update disclosures. In Italy, cosmetics were frequently mislabelled, with inconsistencies between ingredient lists and packaging claims. Other breaches included missing expiry dates, instructions in foreign languages only, and absence of CE markings.
From children’s toys with detachable parts to detergents packaged like sweets, the catalogue of risks points to systemic failures in cross-border product oversight.
Regulatory Ramifications and Sector-Wide Implications
These findings reinforce the European Commission’s focus on tightening enforcement under the General Product Safety Regulation and Digital Services Act. Online marketplaces such as Temu are now key nodes in the compliance landscape, and service providers across the supply chain—retailers, fulfilment centres, customs agents—must be alert to liability risks.
Importantly, these violations expose gaps that can have reputational, legal, and financial consequences for businesses involved in product movement or consumer interfacing, even if not directly manufacturing the items.
