The case of Chinese cross-border e-commerce platform Shein suing Temu for copyright infringement officially started in the London High Court. As two powerful competitors in the global fast fashion field, the two parties have launched a fierce legal battle over copyright protection, market competition order and platform governance rules.
During the court hearing that day, Xiyin alleged that Temu had committed "industrial-scale" copyright infringement, saying that it illegally used thousands of Xiyin's copyrighted clothing photos on its website to promote and sell counterfeit goods, with the intention of gaining an unfair competitive advantage. Benet Brandreth, Xiyin’s attorney, pointed out that this move is aimed at achieving “undue overtaking” of existing market participants.
In response to the above accusations, Tem firmly denied it and filed a counterclaim in court. Temu accused Xiyin of using legal proceedings to maliciously suppress competitors, and was suspected of violating competition laws by signing exclusive agreements (i.e., "choose-one") with fast fashion suppliers to restrict market competition. It is reported that some cases involving competition law are expected to be heard separately in 2027.
The latest developments in the trial show that Temu has withdrawn his copyright defense against about 2,300 photos taken by Xiyin employees. Lawyer Xiyin said that this is equivalent to the defendant "confessing guilt" before the witness appears in court. Temme emphasized that the London High Court made a ruling in favor of Temme for some sample products in its preliminary ruling in April this year.
Industry experts pointed out that the two-week London trial was an important part of the global legal game between the two parties. Previously, Xiyin and Temu had initiated multiple judicial lawsuits in the United States and other places. Currently, with the rapid expansion of cross-border e-commerce platforms in the international market, the relevant regulatory environment is becoming more stringent. The United States canceled its tariff exemption policy for small-value cross-border e-commerce packages last year, and the European Union plans to follow suit in July this year. Analysts believe that adjustments to trade policies and the normalization of intellectual property disputes will put forward higher requirements for the growth model and compliance management of the cross-border e-commerce industry.