The investigation involved a mystery shopping exercise carried out by an independent testing organisation, which found that a high percentage of chargers purchased through Temu failed basic electrical safety tests. It also found that a high proportion of baby toys posed safety risks, containing chemicals above legal limits or featuring small detachable parts that presented suffocation hazards, Euronews reported.

As well as paying the fine, Temu has to present an action plan to address the failures by 28 August. The Commission then has two months to decide whether the company has done enough to comply.

EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen told reporters that the decision was intended to send a "very strong message" to Temu.

A Temu spokesperson said in a statement that the retailer respected the need for clear, consistent rules, but that the decision related to 2024 and did not reflect the current state of its systems.

"We disagree with the European Commission's decision and consider the fine to be disproportionate," they said.

"We are reviewing the decision carefully and considering all available options."

The fine is only the second imposed under the EU's Digital Services Act for content, the first being a €120m penalty against Elon Musk's X social media network last December.