by Olivier Acuña Barba •Published: July 31, 2025•20:38•2 minutes read
Belgian retailers complain of unfair practices by online platforms selling cheap “Chinese junk” | Credit: Artgraphy/Shutterstock
According to a news report, online platforms are growing rapidly, with the competition they represent increasingly unsustainable from Belgian high street retailers, particularly from ultra-low-cost Chinese platforms Shein and Temu.
Belgian retailers have expressed dissent over previous sales this summer season, Belga News Agency I wrote it.
Summer sales take place annually throughout July. Belgian retailers are permitted to offer large discounts throughout the 31 days, and are not normally allowed for the rest of the year.
A survey by Business Federation Unizo and Mode UNIE, published Thursday, showed that 44.3% of fashion retailers reported lower sales compared to the same period last year. In comparison, 24.3% sold the same thing, and 31.4% sold even more.
Malaise explains the July sale
“The heat wave in the first week slowed sales, but then it got a huge boost,” said Isolde DeLangesche, director of Maud UNIE. “Revenues have been stable over the past two weeks, allowing many retailers to recover low sales from the first week.”
According to Mode Unie, Belgians are still very “sales shoppers” and look forward to hunting bargains during this period.
NSZ is different. “For retailers, this month there’s a word summed up: mal lazy,” the organization said. They claim that traditional excitement about sales is waning.
“The constant discounts from certain large chains and online platforms make it more difficult for consumers to visualize the right price,” said NSZ spokesman Cedric Tack. “The concept of “fair price” is declining. This is harmful to retailers who can’t afford annual discounts. ”
“Chinese junk” is another issue
Mode Unie also raised concerns about what is called unfair competition from the digital giants. “The fact that the government has done nothing to stop the online giant’s unfair market practices is unclear for fashion retailers and discourages them,” DeLange said. “Such platforms do not provide value-added to our society. They addled us in the mountains of junk in China,” Delange said, referring to Sheen and Tem.
“We must act quickly and decisively to restore and maintain fair competition between businesses,” Delange said. “It is unacceptable that China’s online stores and major international players are not following our laws and encourage overdose through misleading sales tactics.”
Mode Unie asked authorities to implement stricter controls to ensure Belgian retailers are no longer disadvantaged by what they call “unfair digital market practices.”
I don’t support trade barriers
However, SME Minister Eleonore Simonette (MR), self-employed and small business, said, “As a liberal, she does not support trade barriers,” but admitted that China’s influx was “disruptive” due to fair competition, consumer protection and environmental impact.
But that goes beyond the problem that Chinese platforms represent. NSZ said other issues that drive consumers away are increased parking fees and the mobility of urban centres.
