Shein and Temu could be hit by US ban on parcels from China

The parcel ban, which is in place until further notice, came on the back of a 10% tariff on goods from China imported to the US ordered by US president Trump.

The US Postal Service’s action is thought likely to hit Shein and Temu, which previously benefited from a ‘de minimis’ rule that meant goods worth less than $800 could be imported without the need to pay certain taxes.

The de minimis arrangment has come under fire as Chinese online retailers including Shein and Temu have grown rapidly overseas, including in the US.

“Trump’s tariff changes are especially sharp if goods were previously shipped via ecommerce directly from China to the US,” trade expert Deborah Elms told the BBC.

Shein hopes to line up an IPO, and London looks a likely choice for a listing after the etailer faced opposition from US politicians. It has also been dogged by controversy over alleged conditions in supplier factories and whether its goods contain cotton from China’s Xinjiang region – home to the Uyghur minority and where there are concerns over human rights abuse.