Why not buy products at Temu? – 5 important reasons

Is it safe to shop at Temu?

Short answer: No, not always.

Several tests show that many products from Temu do not meet EU safety requirements:

• The Danish Consumer Council Tänk tested 38 products – 30 dumped due to hazardous chemicals, lack of CE marking and insufficient safety (taenk.dk).

• BEUC, the European consumer organisation, found phthalates, heavy metals and PFAS in products from Temu (beuc.eu).

Data security and privacy at Temu:

• The Temu app has been criticized for extensive data collection and tracking.

• Several US states have sued Temu for data abuse and suspected malware (Wall Street Journal, CSIS).

• Temu has also been fined in South Korea for violating privacy laws (CPO Magazine).

At Remix by Sofie:

• All our suppliers and partners document what is in their products.

• Manufacturers outside the EU must ensure that products comply with EU legislation.

• This way you can know for sure that you won’t get sick from eating and drinking our products.

• We comply with GDPR and protect your data.

Is Temu Danish – and who is responsible?

Short answer: No. Temu is a Chinese e-commerce platform owned by PDD Holdings. Although they have an office in Dublin, the platform serves as a global marketplace, where Temu itself disclaims responsibility for the products.

Deepening:

• Temu acts as an intermediary for up to 300,000 sellers globally (Marketplace Pulse, AMZScout).

• If an item proves to be illegal or dangerous, it is the individual seller – not Temu – who is responsible.

• In practice, this means that Temu exploits a loophole in EU legislation: because the platform is only “intermediate”, they are not obliged to ensure that goods sold via Temu comply with EU rules on security and food contact.

• The European Commission and Danish Industry have criticised this gap in the legislation and called for an importer responsibility for platforms such as Temu and Shein (Danish Industry, European Commission criticism).

At Remix by Sofie:

• We take full responsibility for everything we sell.

• Our suppliers must document that the products comply with EU regulations.

Are glass and ceramics from Temu safe for food?

Short answer: Often not.

When you buy glass or ceramics directly from Temu, you rarely know how the product is produced, what the materials consist of, or whether they have been tested for use with food and drink. The low price is often linked to the fact that no resources have been spent on documentation or control – and this can make them directly dangerous to use in everyday life.

What do EU rules say?

• The EU requires food contact products to undergo a migration test.

• A migration test examines whether materials release chemical substances (such as lead, cadmium or other heavy metals) into food and drink.

• Only products that pass the test may be legally sold as cups, plates, drinking glasses or anything else for food.

• If a product has not been tested, you as a consumer cannot know whether you risk consuming dangerous substances every time you use it.

What can be dangerous in glass and glazes?

• Lead and cadmium are still used in glazes or decorative colours. When not properly encapsulated, they can slowly seep into your coffee, tea or wine. Even small amounts can accumulate in the body and eventually damage the kidneys, liver and nervous system (the Danish Food Authority).

• Cheap glazes can be made from materials that are not intended for food use at all. When exposed to hot liquids or acidic beverages (such as juice, wine, coffee), they can release dangerous substances. This is especially true for products without documented tests.

Facts and examples:

• The Danish Consumer Council found in their tests that many products from Temu lacked proper labelling or documentation (taenk.dk).

• BEUC, the European consumer organisation, has tested Temu products and detected everything from heavy metals to endocrine disrupting phthalates and PFAS (beuc.eu).

• Several experts point out that when products can be sold so cheaply, it is often because quality control and choice of materials have been spared.

At Remix by Sofie:

• We always document on glass and ceramics

• All suppliers must prove that their products meet EU requirements – including those outside the EU.

• We provide guidance on proper use and care so that you can enjoy your products safely and for many years.

Why is Temu so cheap?

Short answer: Because everything is saved – not just materials, but also environmental considerations, working conditions and quality control.

Deepening:

• Environmental considerations and pollution: Production in the EU is subject to regulations on chemicals (REACH), waste management and emissions. Complying with these rules makes production more expensive – but also more responsible. At Temu, many manufacturers are located outside the EU, where there are far fewer environmental and pollution requirements.

• Working conditions: In the EU, there are rules regarding pay, safety and working hours. In low-wage countries, wages and working conditions may be far lower – and this makes production cheaper, but at the expense of people.

• Quality control: Every EU product must meet safety requirements and be tested if it is to be used for food or children. Tests and documentation cost time and money. Cheap products from Temu often have no or very inadequate quality controls.

• Material selection: Using safe, durable and sustainable materials (e.g. lead-free glazes, certified ceramics, FSC wood) is more expensive. If you instead use cheap and untested materials, the price falls – but also the quality and safety.

Fact examples:

• The Danish Consumer Council Tänk has shown that as many as 30 out of 38 tested Temu products failed – precisely because of lack of safety and documentation (taenk.dk).

• BEUC points out that cheap products from platforms like Temu often contain heavy metals and hazardous chemicals because quality control is absent (beuc.eu).

At Remix by Sofie:

• We pay the price for products that are made with environmental considerations, proper working conditions and documented quality control.

• We work closely with European manufacturers, where the rules are strict – but the result is products you can rely on.

Can you trust Temu's pictures and descriptions?

Short answer: Not always.

Many of the images used on Temu are copied from original design products. This makes it very confusing for consumers who might think that a webshop or a physical store sells exactly the same product as on Temu – just for a higher price.

Deepening:

• Confusion with customers: When the same images appear on both Temu and Danish webshops, it becomes difficult to know who is selling the original and who is selling a copy.

• Copies and imitations: Many of Temu’s products are direct copies of well-known design products. The quality is rarely the same, but you can’t see it in the pictures.

• The price discussion: It creates a natural question for the consumer: “Why should I pay more for this glass or cup when I can get something similar to Temu for a fraction of the price?”

• If a Danish store chooses to buy via Temu and resell the goods, it is the store itself that is responsible for the products complying with EU rules – also for food safety.

• Consumer safety: If you are in doubt about a product, especially if it is to be used for food or drink, you can always contact the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, which is responsible for overseeing food contact materials.

At Remix by Sofie:

• We use our own photos of our products.

• You always see the right product.

• We never sell copies.

Conclusion:

Temu may seem tempting, but behind the low prices can hide serious problems: unsafe products, absence of responsibility, poor quality, unethical terms and questionable data handling. And why do we care about that? Because low-quality products create overconsumption, which affects both the environment and the climate. When goods quickly break or cannot be used safely, they end up as waste instead of being something you can enjoy for many years. At Remix by Sofie we have built a store on a platform of quality – our products are designed to be used over and over again. And as a private individual, I also think it is important these days to support, wherever you can, by buying European. This way you support both better environmental considerations, safer products and more responsible production.