France Defends La Poste-Temu Deal Amid Marketplace Probe

France finds itself at the center of a heated debate over e-commerce regulation as the state-owned postal service, La Poste, partners with Chinese online marketplace Temu. The agreement, signed in October, allows La Poste to handle last-mile deliveries for Temu customers across France—a move now under scrutiny amid broader investigations into online marketplaces.

The controversy comes just weeks after French authorities opened probes into several e-commerce platforms for selling illegal goods. The spotlight intensified when France threatened to ban Shein’s marketplace after authorities discovered banned weapons and sexually explicit dolls resembling children for sale. The government has emphasized its intention to clamp down on what officials describe as a "digital Wild West," with illegal items often entering France in small parcels undetected by customs.

Critics argue that the La Poste-Temu partnership supports a foreign company that undercuts local businesses and raises environmental concerns, with cheap imported goods contributing to both market disruption and increased carbon emissions. Lawmakers have questioned why the government appears to facilitate the operations of a platform that some see as damaging French industry.

La Poste has defended its role, describing the arrangement as a standard logistics agreement, extending cooperation already in place since Temu entered the French market in 2023. The company stated that, as a public service provider, it is required to treat all clients equally and cannot deny delivery services based on commercial considerations.

The deal underscores the tension between France’s commitment to regulating e-commerce and the practicalities of maintaining universal postal services, leaving observers debating whether such partnerships align with broader economic and environmental goals.