Puma Takes Legal Action as Adidas Sneakers Appear on Shein: ‘Sales Not Authorised by the Brands’

The popular Chinese online marketplace Shein has recently faced controversy after branded products, including those from sports giants Puma and Adidas, appeared on the platform without authorisation. Since Shein opened up to third-party sellers, an increasing number of branded items have surfaced on the site, leaving companies questioning the source of these goods.

According to an investigation by WirtschaftsWoche, Adidas Samba sneakers, which usually retail for 120 euros, were being sold on Shein for just 62.29 euros. Over 700 Adidas products and more than 100 Puma items were listed on the site, but it remains unclear where exactly these products originated from.

Shein has yet to officially comment on the situation but maintains that the products in question are not counterfeits. However, Puma has taken legal action against the sales. Both Puma and Adidas confirmed to Textilwirtschaft that these listings did not come from the brands themselves, and that the retailers involved were not authorised to resell the products through the Shein platform.

Puma and Adidas both explained that such products often come from regular retailers attempting to offload excess stock via Shein. These instances are not uncommon and have occurred on other marketplaces beyond Shein, both online and offline.

While the exact source of the goods remains a mystery, the presence of such discounted branded items has raised concerns within the industry. The ongoing legal action from Puma signals a serious effort by the brand to control the distribution of its products and protect its image from unauthorised sales.

The situation highlights the growing complexity of online marketplaces as more third-party sellers flood platforms like Shein. As branded products continue to appear at significantly reduced prices, questions linger over the transparency of these sales and the potential impact on brands like Adidas and Puma.

With legal action now underway, it remains to be seen how Shein will address the issue and whether other brands will follow suit in taking action to protect their products. For now, both Adidas and Puma are standing firm in their claims that these sales are not authorised, urging customers to be cautious when purchasing from third-party sellers on such platforms.