A brand of clothing, of the most popular among Portuguese consumers, is being the target of a formal complaint by Deco Proteste, the Portuguese Consumer Protection Association. The complaint was filed this week to the European Commission, in articulation with 24 other counterparts from various European Union countries.
According to Deco Proteste, the use of misleading commercial practices by Shein, a giant mark of the ultra-fast fashion sector that operates exclusively online.
The association points to the use of techniques known as ‘Dark Patterns’, or obscure standards, which aim to influence consumer purchase decisions in a transparent way.
Persuasion techniques under scrutiny
According to the same source, these practices include messages such as “lightning promotions” or “limited stock”, as well as testimonies of alleged customers, whose authenticity is not proven.
Deco Proteste argues that these strategies are designed to create a feeling of artificial urgency, leading the consumer to buy more than initially intended.
The publication adds that this type of techniques not only compromises the freedom of choice but aggravates the environmental and social impacts of impulsive consumption.
The “ultra-fast fashion”, as it is nicknamed, encourages an intensive production model and accelerated consumption, with direct consequences on the sustainability of the sector.
Impacts on the environment and working conditions
According to the same source, Shein’s business model is based on a logic of constant new products launches, often on weekly cycles.
This rhythm leads to mass production of garments, many of which are not sold, contributing to textile waste and intensive use of chemicals.
The Deco Proteste also underlines that this type of practices tends to accentuate precarious labor conditions in production chains, especially in countries with poor labor regulation.
For the Portuguese Association, it is a problem with a structural dimension that simultaneously affects the rights of consumers, workers and the environment.
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Request for intervention to Brussels
Faced with the scenario described, Deco Proteste and the other organizations require a firm and firm response from the European authorities.
In particular, they appeal to the European Commission to force Shein to interrupt the use of misleading techniques and to provide evidence of the truth of his promotional messages.
Explains the association’s website that these requirements aim to restore consumer confidence and promote more informed and sustainable consumer choices, in an increasingly marked sector by speed and volume.
Possible enlargement of the investigation
The complaint filed to the European Commission may not be for the clothing brand concerned. According to the same source, the organizations involved also asked other online trade platforms to use similar methods to influence their users.
It refers to the same source that the analysis of the digital ecosystem of rapid fashion should be extended to understand the cross impact of these practices throughout the consumer chain in the European Union.
Increasing trend worries authorities
Concern about the ‘Dark Patterns’ is not new. Already in 2022, the European Commission launched a preliminary investigation to various digital platforms. With this new complaint, the topic reaps centrality in the European debate on consumer rights in the digital age.
According to, this may be an opportunity to reinforce the European regulatory framework and wage growing abuses in the e -commerce sector, at a time when digitization continues to transform consumer habits.
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