Illegal and dangerous products on AliExpress and Temu

The EU Commission has set its sights on AliExpress and Temu. It concerns illegal and potentially dangerous products such as medicines, cosmetics and food supplements (AliExpress) as well as baby toys and electronics (Temu). We explain what it's all about.

Legal framework: The Digital Services Act (DSA)

The DSA requires online marketplaces to systematically assess the risks posed by illegal and dangerous goods and document appropriate countermeasures. Users must be able to report violations without any effort. Companies must process and log the reports. Platforms are also obliged to publish transparent reports on incidents and measures. If they fail to do so, they face fines of up to six percent of their global annual turnover.

EU Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton said: "The Digital Services Act is not just about hate speech, disinformation and cyberbullying. It also aims to ensure that illegal or unsafe products sold on e-commerce platforms in the EU are removed, including the growing number of counterfeit and potentially life-threatening medicines and drugs being sold online."

What AliExpress is all about

In particular, counterfeit medicines with incorrect dosage information and food supplements without approval, cosmetics with undeclared or toxic chemicals, but also toys with small parts that can be swallowed and pornographic content were discovered. The counterfeit and illegal products are said to be accessible mainly via hidden links.

The EU Commission requested in November 2023 AliExpress requested detailed information on risk assessments and mitigation measures to protect consumers on the platform. As the answers were not satisfactory, it forwarded a formal procedure in March 2024 on suspicion of inadequate controls on illegal products and products harmful to minors.

In June 2025, AliExpress introduced a central consumer complaints portal and improved moderation processes and increased the transparency of advertisements through clear labeling requirements. Furthermore, the platform will report regularly to an independent monitoring trustee, who will inform the EU Commission annually. Researchers are also to be granted access to public data.

The EU Commission accepted the legally binding commitments of the Chinese online marketplace to improve the system and published the preliminary results of the investigation. AliExpress is accused of violating EU regulations on the distribution of illegal products.

The platform uses automated filters for key terms to combat the risks and combines these with manual spot checks by a specialized moderation team. However, key questions remain unanswered. To what extent are the controls equally effective in all regions? How quickly are reported products actually removed? Can retailers with bogus profiles continue to trade illegally?

Temu: Classification as a high-risk platform and EU investigations

Temu was also given the EU Commission also submitted a request for information sent in accordance with the DSA. The response from the company was also unsatisfactory. Therefore, in October 2024 Formal proceedings initiated. At the end of July 2025, the EU Commission published its preliminary determination, which states that Temu is in breach of the DSA with regard to illegal products. The company now has the opportunity to view the investigation file and respond in writing.

Anonymous test purchases in July 2025 revealed that Temu often sells baby toys without CE marking and electronics with inadequate safety components. Under the DSA, the platform is required to submit comprehensive risk analyses for all products. In addition, testing processes and the removal of illegal offers must be transparently documented. Slow response times to user complaints and the lack of automatic blocking mechanisms are criticized.

In addition to the product and retailer risk analysis, the EU is also investigating the use of dark patterns (manipulative design) to influence and manipulate purchasing decisions as well as the countdown discount campaigns typical of Temu and fake user reviews, which are intended to strengthen trust in the platform.

Outlook and recommendation

The EU is expected to publish more detailed guidelines on product testing and national consumer protection authorities could establish mandatory certification procedures for all product categories. Platforms need to invest in real-time detection systems to block illegal offers immediately. Consumers would do well to critically scrutinize reviews and use certified retailers from the EU when in doubt.