באירופה הטילו קנס עצום על Temu הסינית

Major Chinese online retailer Teemu has been fined more than $230 million. E-regulators warn that further penalties could follow. Teemu reaches 130 million consumers in the European Union, but the company has not properly assessed the risks of illegal products being sold on its marketplace. What products are we talking about? Dangerous toys for kids, small electronics without proper label, clothes and jewelry containing harmful chemicals to name just a few. The fine follows a nearly two-year investigation under the European Union's Digital Services Act. The law requires major online platforms to take stronger action against illegal and harmful content. The European Commission says Teemu failed to properly assess the risks tied to illegal products being sold on its platform. Regulators also say the company did not do enough to examine how its product recommendation system and promotions could increase exposure to those illegal goods. Teemu now has until August 28th to submit a plan addressing the EU's concerns. In a statement, a Teemu spokesperson said the company disagrees with the decision and believes the fine is disproportionate. Teemu also says the ruling is biased on an assessment conducted in 2024 and does not reflect changes the company says it has made since then. Teemu entered the U.S. market in 2022 and quickly exploded in popularity with ultra-low prices and aggressive digital advertising. Its business model ships products directly from Chinese suppliers to American consumers. Market research estimates Teemu has more than 133 million monthly active users in the United States and more than 416 million worldwide. The company has also captured a significant share of the U.S. discount retail market. It accounts for an estimated 11 to 17 percent, making it the country's third-largest low-cost shopping platform behind Dollar General and Dollar Tree. But Teemu's U.S. business took a major hit in 2025 after Washington ended the so-called De Minimis loophole, which had allowed packages worth less than $800 to enter the country duty-free. Since then, Teemu has shifted strategy, recruiting more U.S.-based sellers with local warehouses and inventory. At the same time, the company has increasingly focused on Europe. Europe has now surpassed North America as Teemu's largest source of revenue. In the European Union alone, Teemu reports roughly 141.6 million monthly active users.