French court prohibits Shein from selling products that imitate Lacoste’s crocodile logo across the EU

On Thursday 9 July, the French courts issued a provisional injunction prohibiting the Asian e-commerce giant from selling items bearing Lacoste’s famous crocodile logo on its platform.

Pending a decision on the merits of the case, the Paris Judicial Court “has ordered provisional measures throughout the European Union” to “prevent infringement of Lacoste’s well-known trade marks arising from the sale of clothing, jewellery and fashion accessories on the Shein platform.”

The judge “found a plausible case of infringement by imitation” and “a clear risk of confusion for consumers,” according to the press release setting out the court’s decision. The judge also “awarded Lacoste an interim payment of €110,000 towards compensation for the damage suffered.”

The Paris Judicial Court also ordered Shein “to publish the decision” on its homepage and its apps “for one month in order to prevent further harm by raising consumer awareness.”

The ruling was handed down by the Third Civil Chamber, which specialises in intellectual property matters. It was made by a “case management judge,” who acts during the pre-trial phase and before any decision on the merits is reached. “In this capacity, he may order various interim measures” to put an end to any harm pending a final decision by the court.

When contacted by AFP, Shein France stated that the company intended to issue a statement later that evening. Shein, a symbol of ultra-fast fashion and its environmental cost (transport, recycling), is under scrutiny from the French authorities.

On Thursday, the government presented a draft order setting out the level of financial penalties for products from fast-fashion companies such as Shein. The text provides for penalties of up to €20 per item in 2030, capped at 50% of the pre-tax price.

This applies to boxer shorts, trunks, briefs, socks, shirts, jeans, skirts, dresses, swimwear, coats, jackets, trousers, jumpers, T-shirts, and polo shirts sold on Asian platforms such as Shein, Temu, and AliExpress.

At the end of June, Parliament finally passed a bill to curb the rise of fast fashion, epitomised by Shein, whose low-end, cut-price clothing generates mountains of waste. In mid-June, the Paris department store BHV announced that it was ending its partnership with Shein.