Rome — Italy’s competition watchdog has fined Chinese fast fashion giant Shein one million euros for greenwashing, marking another damning verdict against the brand’s hollow sustainability image. The fine comes amid mounting scrutiny across Europe and follows a detailed exposé on Shein’s exploitative fast fashion model, which laid bare the company’s unethical labor practices and misleading green claims.
The penalty, issued by Italy’s Competition Authority (AGCM), targets Infinite Styles Services Co. Limited, the Dublin-based operator of Shein’s European website. Investigators found that Shein’s “evoluSHEIN by design” campaign made sweeping environmental claims, such as using recycled polyester and “lower-impact materials,” without providing any credible, verifiable data.
AGCM determined that these claims misled consumers by promoting an image of circular fashion and long-term climate goals, while the company’s actual emissions increased significantly in 2023 and 2024. The regulator emphasized that such deception is particularly egregious in the fast fashion sector, which already carries a devastating environmental footprint.
The Italian ruling builds on a larger trend in the EU targeting unsustainable corporate greenwashing. Last month, France imposed a separate €40 million fine on Shein for similar offenses, including false discounting practices and dubious eco-labeling. Italy’s investigation, launched in September 2024, aligns with upcoming EU-wide regulations aimed at curbing corporate dishonesty in environmental advertising.
In response, Shein claimed it had “cooperated fully” with Italian regulators and revised its internal policies and website to better align with regulatory standards. Yet critics argue that these reactive PR moves fall short of addressing the fundamental exploitative and unsustainable nature of Shein’s global operations.
The case adds to growing calls for international oversight of ultra-fast fashion brands whose supply chains rely heavily on cheap labor, mass production, and wasteful logistics—all while cloaking themselves in vague, often meaningless, eco-marketing.
According to Reuters, the Italian fine reflects a broader effort across Europe to dismantle the illusion of sustainability that fast fashion giants have used to mislead consumers and whitewash their role in global environmental degradation.
