According to a review by American magazine New York Magazine, an ad was recently flagged where a food search on Temu resulted in a hit for human meat. Temu confirms the incident and states that the ad was published due to an error in their system.
It should not have run, Temu states, explaining that the incident was due to "a glitch in our automated advertising system" and that the error was subsequently quickly rectified.
Changing Rules Force New Strategy
The expansion of the assortment to include food is part of a larger strategic shift. After the US administrations closed previous loopholes for shipping and imposed new tariffs on goods from, among others, China, Temu's original business model has been affected. The company initially built its presence on selling goods shipped duty-free in small packages directly from factories abroad to consumers.
To adapt to the new regulations, Temu has transitioned to establishing local warehouses and recruiting domestic sellers, a logistics model similar to competitors such as Amazon and Walmart.
The program now spans more than 700 categories, from shoes to furniture to food, the company says regarding the transition.
Sells Meat From Local Farms
The range of food on the platform is governed by independent merchants and consists of everything from pantry staples and resold store brands to imported snacks.
One of the additions that has garnered attention on social media is the sale of raw meat. The platform now sells frozen meat products from, among others, a butcher shop in New York and a farm in Utah.
Food sellers in the program are US-based businesses delivering from US warehouses, a Temu spokesperson told New York Magazine, adding:
Food has grown rapidly since launch and includes everything from pantry staples to specialty and regional brands.