“The online and retail sectors in Europe are suffering greatly due to the EU-subsidized trade practices of Temu, Shein & Co,” says Martina Schimmel, Managing Director of zentrada.Europe. She explains the overwhelming response to the petition, which was launched by the wholesale platform among its members.

The core demands of the petition participants are the abolition of duty-free thresholds and the application of all certification and disposal requirements for goods imported directly by consumers through these platforms.

Otherwise, governments miss out on billions in taxes and fees, consumers are left largely unprotected from unsafe products, hazardous substances, or technical deficiencies, and millions of jobs in retail are at risk due to unfair competition.

“We have presented our petitions to the political decision-makers in the EU and several countries. The issue has since gained significantly more attention in the political sphere,” explains Martina Schimmel.

The German Ministry of Economic Affairs plans to abolish the current duty-free threshold of 150 euros as soon as possible in its E-commerce Action Plan. The French government is working on an anti-fast fashion law that would impose significant price increases if platforms cannot prove they comply with strict environmental standards. Other EU countries are working on similar legislative proposals.

In the US, President Biden is also looking to abolish the duty-free threshold by executive order, after two billion shipments from China in just one year have increasingly threatened high product standards and retail in the US.

A survey by zentrada among its affiliated retailers shows that over 64.5% of retailers feel strong competitive pressure from TEMU & SHEIN. 23% of retailers even see their existence threatened as a result.

“It’s about time something is finally done,” Martina Schimmel urges politicians to act quickly.

zentrada supports independent retailers by providing access to major brands, private labels, and own brands in the fight against Temu & Shein. Currently, affordable and high-performance European private labels are the winners in the market against direct imports.

zentrada handles the distribution, customer service, and trade financing for many European manufacturers and importers across Europe, targeting independent retailers.

The petition can continue to be shared and supported even after being presented to political leaders.

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https://www.change.org/zentrada-petition-EU

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