Shein Plans To Open First Physical Stores In France

The online retailer Shein has announced plans to open its first physical stores in several locations across France, sparking debate and criticism from French retailers.

According to Euronews, the online platform, known for its cheap, fast fashion products, expects to open several stores in key locations, including the department store BHV Marais in Paris—scheduled to open in November—, and in Galeries Lafayette locations in Angers, Dijon, Grenoble, Limoges, and Reims.

“As an influential global fashion market, France is a natural choice as our first test market for such physical retail experiences,” said Shein to Euronews.

The fast-fashion brand has partnered with the Société des Grands Magasins (SGM), which owns certain Galeries Lafayette department stores and BHV Marais. However, several retail stores and even Paris’ major have opposed the deal.

According to Reuters, the Galeries Lafayette group said it was in “profound disagreement,” while Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo expressed being “extremely concerned,” arguing the move harms French brands and undermines efforts to promote sustainable local commerce.

Shein has operated exclusively online since its launch, growing into one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world. This would mark the first brick-and-mortar venture, in a strategy similar to Amazon, which opened its first physical store in 2015.

The expansion comes as several Chinese businesses shift their focus to the European market following new tariffs imposed by the U.S. government earlier this year.

According to The Verge, Shein has so far only experimented with a few pop-up stores in cities like New York. The decision to expand in France follows the French Senate’s approval of measures to impose higher taxes on fast-fashion companies—such as Shein and Temu—based on environmental impact, including a ban on advertising.

Last month, Shein was fined $175.61 million by France’s Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés for improper use of cookies, after failing to comply with regulations on collecting user data.