The Journal. China's Cheap Goods Are Europe's Problem Now
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Jan 7, 2026 
Join WSJ reporter Chelsey Dulaney as she dives into the surge of Chinese low-value goods flooding Europe, sparking protests and regulatory concerns. Learn about the strategic pivot of brands like Shein and Temu from the U.S. to an eager European market. Dulaney explores the appeal of Europe’s underdeveloped e-commerce landscape, the rise of logistics networks, and the backlash from European retailers facing safety scandals. With new EU regulations on the horizon, will these changes slow the relentless flow of goods?
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Chaotic Paris Launch
- Chelsey Dulaney described the Paris Shein opening as "absolute chaos" with lines of eager shoppers and angry protesters.
- Department-store workers even held a one-day strike, showing local retail backlash to the entrant.
Low-Value Packages Drive Exports
- Low-value packages under a few hundred dollars have become a massive part of China's exports worth roughly $100 billion.
- This category reshaped Chinese export strategy and underpins the surge into new markets like Europe.
U.S. Rules Trigger Market Pivot
- The U.S. ended the de minimis loophole and imposed high tariffs, disrupting small-package Chinese exports.
- Those measures collapsed shipments to the U.S. and forced Chinese e-commerce to seek alternative markets.