Product safety, labor practices, unfair competition, data privacy, and counterfeit goods are concerns associated with the company, said Sen. Rick Scott.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) is calling on the Commerce Department to launch an investigation into the business practices of the Chinese budget online retailer Temu.
âTo protect our nationâs economic interests and the well-being of our citizens, I believe it is imperative that we address this issue promptly,â Scott told Raimondo.
Scott identified five areas of concern surrounding Temuâproduct safety and quality, labor practices, unfair competition, data privacy, and counterfeit goodsâas reasons why the Commerce Department must take action against the shopping platform.
The Florida senator warned that products sold on Temu âare not subject to the rigorous safety tests and inspections that other competitor products made elsewhere around the world undergo.â
âThere are concerns that Temu may be a conduit for counterfeit products,â he added.
âThere are reports of unsafe working conditions, labor abuses, and human rights violations associated with [the] production of products for Temu,â Scott wrote. âWe need to ensure that the products sold on Temu are not manufactured using forced labor or other unethical practices that violate international labor standards.â
âTemu does not have any system to ensure compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA),â the report reads.
Scott also questioned Temuâs ability to sell products at lower prices than American retailers, suggesting that it could result from âunfair trade practices or the exploitation of loopholes in our import regulations.â
âDe minimis shipments, now numbering 3 million a day, are at an elevated risk of violating UFLPA, containing counterfeit goods, exacerbating the fentanyl crisis, or posing a serious health danger to consumers,â the two senators wrote in their letter.
The Florida senator pointed out in his Aug. 14 letter that data security should be another concern.
âGiven Temuâs Chinese ownership, we must investigate potential risks to American consumersâ data privacy and security,â Scott wrote. âConcerns regarding exploitation of Temu application users lead U.S. based companies to announce warnings and âhow-toâ guides on removing the Temu application from its application purchasing platform and user devices.â
Scott asked the Commerce Department to âlaunch a comprehensive investigationâ into Temu, work with the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Federal Trade Commission to assess potential risks, evaluate the need for new regulations, and submit a detailed report to Congress on its findings.
The Florida senator also requested a meeting with Raimondo to discuss the issue.
The Epoch Times has contacted the Commerce Department and Temu for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
Original News Source Link – Epoch Times
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