Second-hand goods sales platform Vinted removes ads linked to looting during riots, as French government tightens controls on online shopping and announces prosecution of sellers of stolen goods
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21.10.2026. 20:10h
Online second-hand goods sales platform Vinted has removed ads for goods looted in France and stepped up checks on “suspicious” offers, as French authorities seek to prevent the sale of products stolen during the riots online.
Vinted said its teams “took immediate action to identify and remove ads linked to the robberies” after a weekend of riots in which shops across France were targeted by looters, with damage from property destruction and theft estimated at several hundred million dollars.
“Selling stolen goods or soliciting such products is strictly prohibited on Vinted and we have zero tolerance for such activities,” the company said in a statement, adding that it had “increased its monitoring of suspicious listings.”
User accounts found to have violated the rules could be permanently blocked, Vinted said, adding that it was working with police and French authorities to “detect and combat new risks and malicious behavior.”
The measures come after the French government stepped up surveillance of online trading platforms, following reports that goods stolen during Saturday’s riots were being offered for sale online.
French Minister for Small Businesses Serge Papen announced on the IX network that authorities had called a meeting with representatives of online trading platforms and officials from the Interior and Justice Ministries.
On Tuesday, he announced that the government had received promises from platforms that they would detect and remove ads for looted goods, as well as that authorities would independently monitor sales.
He warned that anyone selling stolen products will be found and prosecuted.
As the violence also affected major retail chains, including luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Rolex, as well as the perfume and cosmetics chain Sephora
Sephora said several of its stores in France were robbed, and that employees were exposed to “violence, fear and great tension.”
The company’s president for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Katrin Spindler, stated in a post on LinkedIn that Sephora decided to close all of its stores at 17 p.m. on Saturday, and that those in city centers would remain closed the following day, for the safety of employees and customers.
“The strength of the company is not its stores or storefronts. Its strength is the women and men who give it life,” the announcement states.
British luxury fashion brand Barberie also confirmed that its store on Rue Saint-Honoré in Paris has been temporarily closed while the company assesses the situation.
The appearance of suspected stolen goods on resale platforms poses an additional problem for retailers already facing store damage and business disruptions.
Vinted prohibits the sale of stolen goods and uses various verification mechanisms, including reports from merchants and users, to identify suspicious listings.
Founded in Lithuania in 2008, Vinted has grown into one of Europe’s largest platforms for buying and selling second-hand goods.
According to Reuters, France, the United Kingdom and Italy are among its largest markets.
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FrancuskaVintedSerge PapenLouis VuittonRolexSephoraKatrin SpindlerBarbers
