Shein has been fined €1 million by the Italian Antitrust Authority Surprisingly, the ten-euro polyester dress from China wasn't so sustainable after all

The illusion of environmental sustainability promoted by Shein in recent months was shattered yesterday by the decision of the Italian Competition Authority. The Antitrust has imposed a one-million-euro fine on Infinite Styles Services Co. Ltd, the company responsible for managing the Chinese brand’s e-commerce operations in Europe, for spreading misleading environmental messages in its online marketing and sales strategies. According to the official ruling, Shein has crafted a narrative centered on environmental sustainability through dedicated sections of its website, such as #Sheintheknow, “evoluShein,” and “Social Responsibility.” In these areas, environmental claims were often vague, generic, overly optimistic, or even worse, misleading and incomplete. The company promoted an image of commitment to circularity and recycling, conveying the idea of a textile industry capable of reducing its ecological impact, but without providing concrete and verifiable evidence to support these claims.

One of the most critical aspects concerns the “evoluShein by Design” line, presented as a symbol of more conscious fashion due to the use of so-called “green” fibers. Yet the Antitrust found that the information provided does not clarify to what extent these fibers offer real environmental benefits throughout the products’ entire life cycle. Moreover, the communication fails to specify that this collection still represents a completely marginal part of Shein’s overall offering, contributing to the misleading perception that sustainability is a structural value of the entire brand. The rhetoric used may lead consumers to believe that all items in that collection are recyclable—an idea that proves to be unfounded when considering the nature of the fibers used and the current limitations of textile recycling systems. Shein’s stated emission reduction targets, such as cutting emissions by 25% by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050, were also dismissed as vague and unsupported by concrete evidence. In fact, the most recent data for 2023–2024 showed an increase in emissions linked to the company’s operations.

Codacons fully supported the Authority’s intervention, reiterating the need to penalize all companies that resort to greenwashing techniques and called for similar fines to be imposed on all companies adopting such strategies. Altroconsumo, which recently published an investigation into “dark patterns” used by these platforms to push purchases, also welcomed the fine, stating that it confirms past accusations against Shein, which was not only accused of encouraging compulsive consumer behavior through invasive digital techniques but also of misleading the public about the environmental impact of its operations. More broadly, Europe as a whole is moving more decisively to combat greenwashing. While awaiting full implementation of the new EU directive on the matter—which is expected by March 2026—regulatory oversight is becoming increasingly strict. In the meantime, Shein has tried to defend itself by stating that it cooperated with the Agcm throughout the entire proceeding and has taken the necessary steps to address the issues raised. Long used to lawsuits and regulatory complaints, the Chinese giant holds a massive market share thanks to its competitive pricing. But who will have the upper hand in the long run?