Temu has filed a lawsuit against Shein, accusing the company of using intimidation tactics against its suppliers, which it describes as “mafia-style,” and raising concerns about copyright infringement, as stated in a filing on Wednesday.
The Chinese ecommerce giant alleges that Shein has violated its intellectual property rights and wrongfully detained its merchants, in addition to other measures aimed at hindering Temu’s growth in the US.
A Temu spokesperson commented: “We sued Shein because their recent actions have become increasingly aggressive. Their actions are excessive, and we had no choice but to take legal action against them.”
This development comes after both Temu and Shein recently dropped their legal actions related to antitrust and copyright issues against each other.
Last month, Temu had five of its advertisements banned in the UK for being sexually explicit, accused of sexualizing a child and objectifying women. The online marketplace was cautioned about portraying adults as “stereotypical sexual objects” or depicting those under 18 in a sexual manner in future ads, as several ads featured “disembodied images of women wearing tight and revealing clothing.”
Shein has been approached for a comment.
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