Pakistan, Sept. 2 -- France started imposing penalties on the extreme end of fast fashion on Tuesday to try to curb a surge in sales of cheap clothing sold by e-commerce sites including Shein and Temu.

The penalties - part of a fast-fashion law passed in June that aims to address environmental concerns from overproduction - range from 0.25 euros for a pair of boxer shorts or socks to 12 euros for a coat, with the amount capped at 50 percent of the product's pre-tax sales price.

They add to Shein's difficulties as the end of duty-free access for cheap e-commerce parcels in the European Union and the US caused its valuation to plunge ahead of its stock market debut in Hong Kong on Tuesday.

Neither Shein nor Temu responded to a request fo...