Shein accused of selling childlike sex dolls in France

France's consumer watchdog has reported fast fashion giant Shein to authorities for selling "sex dolls with a childlike appearance" on its website.

The Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) said in a statement that the online description and categorisation of the dolls "makes it difficult to doubt the child pornography nature of the content", French media reported.

Shein told the BBC: "The products in question were immediately delisted as soon as we became aware of these serious issues." It said its team was "investigating how these listings circumvented our screening measures".

Shein is also "conducting a comprehensive review to identify and remove any similar items that may be listed on our marketplace by other third-party vendors".

The DGCCRF has reported Shein to French prosecutors as well as Arcom, the country's online and broadcasting regulator, according to French media.

The news has emerged just days before Shein is set to open its first permanent physical shop anywhere in the world - in a Parisian department store.

The decision to allow Shein to open at BHV Marais, a shop in France's capital city that traces its roots back to 1856, has provoked controversy. The company has faced criticism for its labour practices and environmental record.

Shein will open at BHV on Wednesday ahead of other shops across France, all owned by property firm Société des Grands Magasins.

Commenting on the dolls sold on Shein's site, France's consumer watchdog warned that "the dissemination, via an electronic communications network, of child pornography is punishable by up to seven years' imprisonment and a fine of €100,000 (£88,000)".

Shein said it "maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards any content or products that violate our platform policies or applicable laws".

A spokesperson said the fast fashion firm is taking the matter "extremely seriously".

"We are taking immediate corrective actions and reinforcing our internal controls to prevent this from happening again," they said.

Shein has already been fined millions of euros in recent months.

In September, France's data protection authority, the Commission Nationale de L'informatique et des Libertés, imposed a €150m (£132m) penalty on Shein for failing to get users' consent to allow "cookies" which collect information about people visiting a website.

Shein is contesting the fine, which it called "wholly disproportionate" and "politically motivated".