The Chinese online store Temu has been included in the group of 'large platforms' of the European Union (EU) and will therefore be subject to more rigid control rules, an official from the bloc said this Friday.
Temu began operating in the European market in April 2023 and experienced exponential growth, although it had already attracted the attention of regulatory entities due to its business practices.
By being included among the large platforms, Temu is added to a list that includes giants such as AliExpress, Amazon, Shein and Zalando, all with more than 45 million active users per month in the EU.
The firm – an international version of the Chinese online store Pinduoduo – announced this year that it had around 75 million monthly active users in the EU.
Under the Digital Services Law (LSD, one of the two that regulate the platform market in the EU), Temu will have to fully adapt to the special rules already at the end of next September.
The legislation determines that companies must prepare annual risk assessments to study what dangers platforms may pose, and how firms are preparing to protect users.
Temu and other online stores must also refine their algorithms to prevent the promotion and sale of prohibited products.
In early May, Beuc, an entity that defends consumer rights in the EU, claimed that Temu manipulated its customers into spending more, something that goes against LSD. A spokesperson for Temu confirmed to AFP that the firm had received the notification from the Commission, the executive arm of the EU.
“We are fully committed to complying with the rules and regulations described by the LSD to guarantee the safety, transparency and protection of our users within the European Union,” he noted.
What you should know before making an in-app purchase
It seems that what is not offered in Temu does not exist. This Chinese platform has burst into the market with an impressive offering of products at very competitive prices, quickly capturing attention on social networks and adding users not only in Colombia, but throughout the world.
Despite its great reception and having arrived with force, several users question the quality of the products and the protection of their data, which has generated several controversies.
Temu is an online marketplace that defines itself as a digital shopping center, accessible both from its official website and through mobile applications. The platform offers a wide variety of products organized into 29 categories, including men's and women's clothing, beauty and health, home and kitchen, sports and outdoors, home appliances, tools and home improvement, pet supplies, and toys and games, among others.
