Shein and Temu are under attack: Italy plans to introduce a tax on parcels
13 November 12:31
Italy is preparing to introduce a tax on low-priced postal parcels from non-EU countries, government officials said. The measure is aimed at protecting the local fashion industry from cheap imported goods, mostly from China, coming through online platforms such as Shein and Temu. This was reported by "Komersant Ukrainian" with reference to Reuters.
According to Industry Minister Adolfo Urso, the new rules will come into force by the end of this year.
The tax will apply to shipments costing less than 150 euros (about 175 US dollars) and will be in line with a proposal currently being discussed at the EU level.
Read also: Temu attacks wallets and phones of Ukrainians: what do you need to know?
Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti called for the accelerated introduction of such a pan-European tax, considering it appropriate to introduce it in 2026, not in 2028, as previously planned.
“We need tough and fast European rules to stem the flow of cheap and untested goods from non-EU countries,” he said.
Representatives of the Federazione Moda Italia-Confcommercio reacted positively to the innovation, calling it a step towards limiting ultra-fast fashion.
The federation’s statement reads:
“We appreciate the government’s intention to take into account in the budget law the economic and environmental impact of ultra-fast fashion, which also drains significant resources from our economy and the public treasury.”
According to the EU customs authorities, about 4.6 billion low-priced online parcels were processed in 2024, 91% of them from China, which is twice as many as in 2023.
The Italian initiative is expected to be formalized as an amendment to the 2026 budget in the coming weeks.
Read us on Telegram: important topics – without censorship
Temu is a global Chinese platform that has managed to shake up the global e-commerce market in a short time. As a subsidiary of the Chinese giant PDD Holdings, it instantly became known for its ultra-cheap products, free shipping, and aggressive advertising.
The platform was launched in 2022 and from the very beginning set a course for the West. It offers goods directly from Chinese manufacturers, bypassing intermediaries, which allows it to maintain extremely low prices. Temu’s companies have direct ties to Chinese factories, and thus to Chinese state and industrial capital.
Shein is an international online fast fashion retailer and pop-up store chain popular with Generation Z consumers. The company was founded in 2008 in Nanjing by businessman Chris Xu under the name ZZKKO; in 2022, it moved its headquarters to Singapore. In 2023, the SHEIN brand was valued at $24.25 billion.
