Pan-European consumer organisation BEUC has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission against fast-fashion retailer Shein, accusing the company of using deceptive "dark patterns" designed to pressure customers into excessive purchasing.

The complaint, supported by 25 member organisations across 21 countries including France, Germany and Spain, details what BEUC describes as "aggressive commercial practices" employed by the Chinese-owned online retailer.

Among the tactics highlighted are pop-ups urging customers not to leave the app or risk losing promotions, countdown timers creating artificial time pressure to complete purchases, and infinite scroll features on the app designed to keep users engaged longer.

BEUC's 29-page dossier also cites frequent notifications, with researchers documenting one phone receiving 12 notifications from the Shein app in a single day. The organisation accuses Shein of "confirm shaming" - making consumers feel bad if they choose not to purchase a product.

"For fast fashion you need to have volume, you need to have mass consumption, and these dark patterns are designed to stimulate mass consumption," said Agustin Reyna, director general of BEUC.

The complaint focuses particularly on Shein's gamification strategies, including the "Puppy Keep" game where users feed a virtual dog and collect points to win free items. Players can gain more points by scrolling through the app and ordering items, but must log in daily or risk losing cumulative rewards.

BEUC argues these practices lead to "severe detrimental consequences on consumers and society at large", creating wardrobes full of barely used clothes and promoting shopping habits that increase environmental problems.

The consumer watchdog wants the EU to force Shein to disclose the data behind marketing claims such as "stocks are low" and countdown timers. If the company cannot provide this data, BEUC says it should be prohibited from using such messages in the EU.

Shein has defended its practices, stating: "We are already working constructively with national consumer authorities and the European Commission to demonstrate our commitment to complying with EU laws and regulations."

The company criticised BEUC for refusing to meet, saying: "This unwillingness to engage is extremely disappointing, particularly in light of Shein's growing popularity among European consumers."

The complaint comes as the European Commission is already investigating Shein's compliance with consumer protection laws. Last month, EU authorities notified the company of practices breaching consumer law and warned of potential fines if concerns are not addressed.

BEUC noted that dark patterns are widely used by mass-market clothing retailers and called for other retailers to be included in investigations. The organisation has previously filed similar complaints against rival discount platform Temu.

Shein and Temu have both surged in popularity across Europe, partly through apps that encourage shoppers to engage with games and compete for discounts and free products.

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