Epic PR push by Temu and Shein won't distract from various controversies surounding the e-commerce giants

Thursday morning. A press release from Temu lands in RTIH’s inbox.

"Temu is gaining trust with shoppers as it caps its second year in the UK, with more than 80% of respondents in a new survey saying that the platform offers good value for money. Consumers in the survey estimated they reaped savings of 25% on average by shopping on Temu in the past year, and four in ten say they plan to spend more on the platform in 2025," it boasts.

The survey, conducted by Ipsos and commissioned by (yep, you guessed it) Temu, found that first time British users were drawn to the platform by low prices, free shipping, and a wide selection of products. Three in five said affordable prices were the main reason they kept coming back, and more than 70% would recommend Temu to others.

"We're thankful that so many people across the UK are turning to us for their everyday needs," said a spokesperson. "It's encouraging to see shoppers not only saving money, but also using the platform to support small businesses or start ventures of their own. We believe more people should have access to affordable goods and the opportunity to take part in the digital economy."

Erm, OK.

This is just one of many Temu press releases that have been sent RTIH's way in recent times.

Another one flags up the online marketplace, which is operated by Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, inking a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC).

This was signed during the IACC's 2025 Annual Conference in San Diego. As part of the collaboration, Temu has joined the IACC's newly launched Marketplace Advisory Council (MAC) as an inaugural member.

This is a cross industry forum that includes online marketplaces, payment providers, and brands, such as Amazon, eBay, Mastercard, PayPal, and Visa, aimed at setting a new standard for cooperation in the fight against counterfeit goods. 

We couldn't resist pointing out in an article that the move came amid concerns about the rise of such goods shipped from Asia directly to European customers, with the European Commission last year opening an investigation into Temu over accusations that it was doing too little to stop the sale of illegal products.

Because, you know, journalism.

Shein

Shein has also been on something of a PR charm offensive of late.

The company recently contacted us (directly, not via a PR, we should point out - we give it credit for that, as we always prefer direct contact over the 'we've chucked some money at a PR firm so deal with them, please' approach).

Shein asked us if we'd be interested in sitting down with Peter Pernot Day, the corporate affairs and strategy lead, to hear "a bit more about its on-demand model, debunk some myths around AI and learn a bit more about how the business has grown with agility at its core...Peter recently spoke at Retail Technology Show 2025, you may have seen him there..."

We certainly did see him there. And it didn't go unnoticed that he declined to take questions from the audience after a conference stream presentation. In fact, retail veteran Theo Paphitis caused a stir when he flagged it up during his time on stage at RTS 2025.

The way that global corporations like Google, Amazon and others pursue ‘tax efficient’ schemes was highlighted. Google’s propensity to sell you a customer but then sell them to a rival, before selling them back to you again was also castigated, with Paphitis saying: “The previous cost of acquisition argument turned out to be cobblers” as consumers “were promiscuous”.

The industry “did this to ourselves” [created its present problems] as well by offering over generous promotions, free delivery and making other such mistakes that ate into margins. As times turn tougher that cannot go on anymore to such an extent.   

Google and Amazon – who Paphitis attested “at least keep us honest” vis-à-vis pricing – are, however, nothing compared to the likes of Temu and Shein. The fact that the latter didn’t take any questions particularly attracted his ire, prompting a “cop out” comment.    

Since RTS 2025 took place in April, it has emerged that Shein is set to list on the Hong Kong stock exchange instead of London. Valued at $66 billion, it had been looking to list on the LSE but has struggled to get the go ahead from Chinese regulators for the IPO. The company, which was founded in China but is based in Singapore, is thought to be set to file draft papers with Hong Kong’s stock exchange in the coming weeks.

Susannah Streeter, Head of Money and Markets, Hargreaves Lansdown, says: ‘’Shein’s planned London listing has been mired in so much controversy, it’s not overly surprising that the fast fashion giant might be throwing in the towel and looking set to to launch in Hong Kong instead. This year the e-commerce behemoth has faced criticism from MPs investigating its supply chain. It’s also become ensnared in the tariff turmoil, losing a key shipping tax break which gives it the advantage over rivals."

"After President Trump ordered to reverse loopholes giving Shein and others exemptions for small, imported packages, the EU also indicated it would phase them out, and the UK government is undergoing a review.”

She adds: “These moves had put Shein’s valuation under pressure, with expectations the company would be forced to go for a lower target range, if it did list in London. Given that environmental, social and governance criteria are increasingly an issue for many investors, including institutions and individuals, it was also expected a lower initial offer price would have to be on the table."

"Shein is a laggard among its peers when it comes to ESG and it was facing pressure to improve transparency. Its business model raised serious concerns about the sustainability of low cost materials, the environmental impact of production, and the human rights of the labour force behind the low price tags.” 

"The barrage of criticism, which looked set to intensify leading up to a London listing, is considered to be partly why Chinese regulators were reluctant to give the IPO the green light. This will be a blow for London’s ambitions to attract bigger names to list in the capital, but given the obstacles piling up, it’s not surprising that that the company seems to be veering off in another direction in its quest to raise capital for further expansion.’’

And there you have it...We dare say that Temu and Shein's PR powered charm offensive will gain it positive coverage from some media outlets. But here at RTIH, we're erring on the side of caution...healthy scepticism, if you will.

Oh, and we're still waiting to hear back from Shein about a proposed interview covering Theo Paphitis' remarks, supply chain controversies, and the decision to list on the Hong Kong stock exchange instead of London...We'll keep you guys posted on that one.