Online marketplace Temu “makes Penneys look like Harrods”, according to Irish Times Consumer Correspondent Conor Pope. 

In just under two years, Temu has become one of the most popular shopping apps in Internet history with close to 100 million users in the EU alone. 

Its app was the most downloaded in the UK in 2023 and despite legal challenges with some EU countries, it shows no sign of slowing down. 

Known for its low prices, Mr Pope said there’s a “staggering amount of content” on Temu from 80,000 different sellers. 

“If you can think of it, it probably is for sale on Temu,” he told Moncrieff. 

“The thing about Temu is it’s incredibly cheap – it makes Penneys look like Harrods.” 

Mr Pope noted that the marketplace’s logo is “shop like a billionaire” because you can get so much for so cheap on the app. 

He said Temu has claimed many reasons for its bargain prices.  

“They say they cut out the middle man, that might be the wholesaler,” he said. 

“E-commerce companies in China are also exempt from export duties. 

“[Temu also] say because they’re so big, they can consolidate orders and reduce the cost of orders. 

“A lot of their products that they sell just aren’t very good.” 

Shopping on Temu like a 'game'

The Irish Times consumer correspondent said because of the cheap price, people turn buying Temu products in a “game”. 

“They might buy 10 products and maybe one is good,” he said. 

“The rest is either destined for landfill or just going to go into the press in your house.” 

In June 2023, the United States House Select Committee on Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party said Temu did not maintain "even the façade of a meaningful compliance program". 

It said the company does not comply meaningfully with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act to keep goods made by forced labour off its platform. 

In 2024, the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal reported that PDD Holdings, Temu's parent company, uses surveillance and non-compete lawsuits against former employees who leave to work for rivals. 

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