Polish online retailers have claimed that they face unfair competition from Chinese platforms, which benefit from state subsidies and will be able to duck, apparently, new EU safety regulations on toy importers.
Online platforms such as Shein and Aliexpress and Temu, which send goods including toys direct to customers from China by post, have becoming increasingly popular in Poland owing primarily to their low prices.
Polish retailers have said that state subsidies allow their rivals to offer clients free postal delivery, which allows them to grab market share.
In addition to this, new EU legislation on product standards could, according to Polish firms, add to their woe.
The legislation will require a number of safety checks on toys coming through ports which Polish retailers say will slow down their passage through customs and add to the costs they will have to endure.
“The majority of the new regulations are an administrative and financial burden, which will need to be borne by responsible businesses, but will be ignored by dishonest ones,” Monika Chmielińska, chair of the Polish Association of the Toys and Children’s Goods Sector, told the newspaper Rzeczpospolita.
But these checks will not apply to Chinese firms because a Polish consumer using one of their sites makes their purchase in Chinese virtual space. This means that they, not the Chinese firm, are the importer to the EU. The new EU safety checks do not apply to individuals.
Over 15 million Poles, or 51% of the internet accounts in the country, have accessed the Chinese goods and fast-fashion site Temu in the last 12 months, according to an August poll by Mediapanel internet media research company for Wirtualne Media media news site.
That reach, achieved by an aggressive online marketing campaign, makes the Chinese site the second largest online retailer in Poland behind the Warsaw-stock-market listed company Allegro, which has 59% access.
Meanwhile 29% have accessed its rival Aliexpress, while Shein, another Chinese site, has a 22% share.
Polish retailers have said that state subsidies allow their rivals to offer clients free postal delivery, which allows them to grab market share.
In addition to this, new EU legislation on product standards could, according to Polish firms, add to their woe.
The legislation will require a number of safety checks on toys coming through ports which Polish retailers say will slow down their passage through customs and add to the costs they will have to endure.
“The majority of the new regulations are an administrative and financial burden, which will need to be borne by responsible businesses, but will be ignored by dishonest ones,” Monika Chmielińska, chair of the Polish Association of the Toys and Children’s Goods Sector, told the newspaper Rzeczpospolita.
But these checks will not apply to Chinese firms because a Polish consumer using one of their sites makes their purchase in Chinese virtual space. This means that they, not the Chinese firm, are the importer to the EU. The new EU safety checks do not apply to individuals.
Over 15 million Poles, or 51% of the internet accounts in the country, have accessed the Chinese goods and fast-fashion site Temu in the last 12 months, according to an August poll by Mediapanel internet media research company for Wirtualne Media media news site.
That reach, achieved by an aggressive online marketing campaign, makes the Chinese site the second largest online retailer in Poland behind the Warsaw-stock-market listed company Allegro, which has 59% access.
Meanwhile 29% have accessed its rival Aliexpress, while Shein, another Chinese site, has a 22% share.
More In Business MORE...
