"Very transparent"

Shein wants to provide better information about parcel contents

"Our business model is not based on tariff benefits," said Shein CEO Donald Tang.

(Bild: AFP)

The Chinese online mail order company Shein wants to better inform the customs authorities in Germany about the contents of its parcels. "If the authorities wanted us to do that, we would," said Shein CEO Donald Tang.

The company is accused of systematically misdeclaring parcels in order to stay below the duty-free limit of 150 euros. His company wants to "proactively solve this issue", Tang told the Düsseldorf-based newspaper "Handelsblatt".

Shein produces cheap clothing and sells it at bargain prices. According to Handelsblatt, the company sends around 200,000 individual packages to Germany every day, which makes effective customs controls practically impossible.

The authorities wanted to know who the parcel came from, what was inside and where it was going, Tang told the newspaper. "We are working on providing all this information before our parcels arrive at the airport."

He also expressed his openness to a reform of the duty-free limit. "Our business model is not based on customs benefits," he said. The low prices come about because his company only produces on demand and there is hardly any overproduction. "We would welcome a reform of the duty-free regime."

"Very transparent"
In an interview with the Hamburg-based magazine "Spiegel", the company boss announced that his own salary and that of the founder, Xu Yangtian, would be linked to sustainability targets in future. "30 percent of our short and long-term remuneration will depend on whether we achieve these targets," he told the magazine.

According to the report, Tang promised to be "very transparent". "We are open to suggestions on what we should achieve and consider".