Addictive, absurdly cheap and controversial: the rise of China’s Temu app

Temu's meteoric growth - and its astronomical marketing budget - has experts asking whether its business model is sustainable

A chicken-shaped lamp. A toilet paper holder in the shape of a smiling velociraptor. An apron that catches beard hair during shaving. The list of unusual products goes on.

Among the more everyday items are cleaning products, smartwatches, novelty T-shirts, knock-off sneakers and barbecue tools, but the common thread across all of them is that everything is incredibly, mindbogglingly cheap.