Last year’s ad highlighted Temu’s affordable prices and encouraged customers to shop “like a billionaire.” The significant investment catapulted Temu to success, making it the number one most-downloaded app in the U.S. by the end of 2023, with over 51 million monthly active users in January, a 300% increase from the previous year, according to data from Sensor Tower. Although the details of this year’s ad have not been disclosed, it has already sparked controversy. The company aims to attract U.S. shoppers by positioning itself as the ultimate “everything store” with lower prices than its competitors. However, lawmakers allege that it relies on forced labor in its supply chain and conducts surveillance on its customers.
On Wednesday, 11 Republican lawmakers sent a letter to the CEOs of CBS, which is broadcasting the Super Bowl, and its parent company Paramount, urging them not to air the advertisement. The letter cited alarming findings from the House Select Committee on the Chinese Community Party, stating that Temu has a record of noncompliance with regard to illicit products entering the U.S. market. It specifically pointed out the lack of a system to ensure compliance with the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which suggests that Temu’s shipments containing products made with forced labor regularly enter the U.S. in violation of the UFLPA.
Allowing Temu’s commercial to air “would be a touchdown for the Chinese Communist Party against the home team,” the letter emphasized. The letter was sent by Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.V., and signed by several other representatives. Paramount and CBS declined to comment.
Temu, along with Shein and other apparel retailers with a manufacturing presence in China, has been under congressional investigation since May. While forced labor in raw materials such as cotton is a widespread issue in the fashion industry, Shein regularly discloses data on instances of banned cotton in its clothes and shares the results of audits conducted on its manufacturers. Other retailers also make audit results public, yet Temu has not done so.
Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., highlighted Temu’s lack of audits and compliance systems. He stated that the company does not expressly prohibit third-party sellers from selling products originating from the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, completely disregarding the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Luetkemeyer described Temu’s ad as “sickening,” expressing concern that a company associated with slave labor and close ties to the Chinese Communist Party would make a direct appeal to millions of Americans during the Super Bowl.
In response, a Temu spokesperson refuted the allegations, stating that the company’s standards and practices regarding forced labor are in line with major e-commerce players such as Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. The spokesperson emphasized that before setting up stores and listing products on Temu, every seller must sign an agreement pledging to adhere strictly to legal standards and regulations, ensuring compliance with laws pertaining to forced, penal, or child labor, voluntary employment, respect for workers’ rights, and timely payment of employees and contractors while complying with local wage and hours laws.
