Temu and Shein growth sparks tax debate in Colombia

The rapid growth of e-commerce platforms Temu and Shein has sparked debate in Colombia regarding fair competition and tax regulations. During the Nextech by Colombiatex event in Medellín, industry leaders expressed concern over the impact of these cross-border models on local fashion producers and importers.

A central point of contention is the ‘minimis’ customs regime. In Colombia, shipments with a FOB value of up to 200 dollars benefit from simplified customs procedures and are exempt from tariff duties. Sebastián Díez, executive president of Inexmoda, noted that the scale of this phenomenon is significant, with Temu reportedly making approximately 100,000 daily shipments to the country.