EU set to probe Chinese robotic lawnmowers in escalating trade dispute: sources

The European Union is expected to launch an anti-dumping investigation into Chinese robotic lawnmowers as early as this week, two sources familiar with the matter told the Post on Tuesday, marking another potential escalation of China-European trade tensions.

China has been selling more robotic lawnmowers to Europe, and at higher prices.

More than 40 per cent of China’s robotic-lawnmower exports, by volume, are shipped to the 27-member bloc, according to Chinese customs data. And in the first nine months of 2025, the export volume increased by 37.7 per cent, year on year, while export value surged 80.6 per cent.

The targeting of their trade looks to be the latest salvo fired between Beijing and Brussels as they criticise each other for allegedly unfair trade practices.

The European Commission declined to comment.

The bloc’s former trade commissioner, Cecilia Malmstrom, said in late September that the EU was preparing 20 anti-dumping investigations against China.

Customs data showed that China’s total exports of robotic lawnmowers during the first nine months of the year increased by 27.8 per cent in volume and 49.4 per cent in value, reaching US$2 billion. Meanwhile, the average unit price of those lawnmowers sold to the EU was US$207.30 – 43 per cent higher than China’s global export average for the machines at US$144.60.