France announce a levy on SHEIN, TEMU and similar imports. AIBU to want the UK to do the same?

[AsMuchIn]

AIBU to want the UK to do the same as France, who are imposing a levy on products bought from SHEIN, TEMU, etc.

The impact on our high street (or now lack of) is massive, shops gone or as people choose cheap, poor quality, sometimes dangerous products. Less jobs in retail, empty shops, units filled with nail bars and vape shops.

The impact on the environment is also detrimental.

We are not making good choices ourselves, so bring in a levy.

France targets Shein and Temu with fast fashion fees https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm2792pendro

Why is giving people choices a race to the bottom? Why is having a high street ‘raising the standard’? People had the chance to keep it but they chose convenience and service over overpriced and limited stock.

I get you don’t approve of the cheap crap etc but my advice would be to move to somewhere in Europe where you can shop in person and people don’t shop with Temu/shein. If the high street was worth keeping, it wouldn’t have faded away.

Clothing retailers are closing left, right and centre because people don’t want to go into town and faff about trying the clothes on, being served by people who don’t want to be there and hoping they can get the right size.

Complain if you like but many people aren’t remotely sorry to see the high street go because they get a better shopping experience online.

Speak for yourself. I shop at all sorts of online retailers including Temu because it suits me to, I don’t make excuses.

I could afford to shop for better quality stuff and sometimes I do but I happen to think clothes should form the smallest part of my budget as they are a boring necessity.

I did a masters in real estate stuff nearly 30 years ago and th big talking point them was the impact of regional shopping centres (the Metro Centre, Meadowhall, Thurrock etc) on towns, in particular towns which were “second tier” in an areas anyway such as Gateshead (from the Metro Centre). The internet has just supercharged something that was happening anyway. Some areas will be able pivot and other will have to change - if so much shopping space is no longer needed on the high street then there is no point in keeping it but the local authority might be reluctant to write it off for good if it means forgetting about future business rates.

Absolutely - go for it, but you don’t have create a fallacy that other people’s complaints are just around a desire to feel morally superior. Otherwise it sounds like you do feel the need to make excuses and you’re right, you really don’t..

Would you really?! I order from other online places if I need something.

Honestly, it's like people can't wait to donate more of their money to the government. do you really think they're doing such a good job at using the money they've already got?? Anyway, a levy on shein or temu won't do a thing about high streets here, it's not going to magic up boutiques selling nonexistent quaint good quality uk-made goods, nor the necessary cash in people's pockets to be able to shop the no doubt high prices at such a place. High streets are exactly like temu -- turn over anything you pick up and you'll see "Made in China" on the back.

All very well for you who can afford to buy the 'quality' clothing. But that's not everybody.

I have bought some lovely dresses from Shein that are nice quality and I have worn loads. Recently watched a Facebook post on what ladies at the horse racing were wearing and every other woman was wearing Shein.

for me it’s the style choice I can get that isn’t available in other shops and suits me. Also I have a child that is in mini adult size clothes but doesn’t want clothes designed for men with boring colours, I can get appropriate stuff from Shein.

Are city is heaving, the high street is busy all of the time, shops open for younger demographic do you know why because young people do want to feel connected they do value that social hub, they are expressing themselves via fashion, music choices, independently away from the adults, just like I did in the 90s. You may not have any interest in doing that, even when young but I would suggest that's pretty unusual. Your suggestions of moving to Europe if you want this experience are ludicrous! Where I live and when I am visiting parts of London for shops and markets there are hundreds of teenagers and all ages frequenting these places as it's a perfectly natural desire to not embrace this depressing individualism that is defined by chronic isolation and merriment in corroding communal bonds!

Our not "are".

Well I’m sure that is fab for you, and clearly area dependent. So the thriving internet economy (including the cheap Chinese imports) haven’t negatively affected where you live.

Groups of teens hanging out is one thing l don’t miss on the odd occasion I have to venture into town. In fact, in a nearby city, the groups of teens were a contributing factor to people avoiding the area.

I was also a teen in the 80s and remember going into town etc. Not sure where I said I never did, but admittedly it’s been a couple of days since I was on the thread.

When these retail parks sprung up, businesses were only too happy to move away from the town/city hubs. This was inconvenient and difficult to access for many people before the internet shopping came along.

You can hardly be shocked that people took a more convenient option when it was available.

Now charity shops are starting to spring up in retail parks (even in units previously occupied by big retailers) so they will go the same way as the town centres have.

I only suggested moving because the OP is getting misty eyed about the culture in Europe and how it is disappearing here.

I don’t feel ‘merriment’ - why would I? I don’t care. I like that I have a way to access shopping now in a way that I was previously unable to but that’s it. I don’t understand why people are using such emotive language. ‘Race to the bottom’, ‘chronic isolation’… It is a simple case of supply and demand. Sufficient people prefer to do their shopping online and/or pay little for stuff. It doesn’t mean they are isolated.

Is it easy and free to return to the cheap Chinese retailers because that to me is a very important thing. That is why I like Next and M&S, they sell a lot of brands and I can order different sizes, pick them up from store, try them on and return everything I don't want. No charity shops in our retail park, though it's a newish nice one with lots of clothes shops and generally a big queue for the car park. I usually walk though.

Some stuff is easy to return. But when you pay a few quid for something, if it’s not the right size then it doesn’t matter. You can give it away, donate it or whatever.

Incidentally, did you know you can get your account blacklisted for persistent returns? They are trying to crack down on people who buy different sizes, try and return. I think they call it bracketing. It costs the retailers a fortune and is incredibly wasteful. It has a massive environmental impact as well.