"0 sucrose" is not equal to "0 sugar" What kind of word game is playing
On April 10, the domestic beverage brand Yuanqi Forest issued an apology statement "a belated upgrade". The statement stated that in the product labeling and promotion of milk tea products, the difference between "0 sucrose" and "0 sugar" was not stated. Cause misunderstanding.
This statement of apology quickly pushed Yuanqi Forest to the forefront of public opinion. The reminder that "0 sugar" is not equal to "0 sugar" made some consumers suddenly realize that they have been misled.
Many consumers said it was difficult to accept the active apology of Yuanqi Forest. This mentality is completely understandable.
In fact, because it can avoid problems such as weight gain caused by excessive sugar content, "0 sugar" beverages have become a popular concept in recent years. Traditional beverage companies such as Pepsi and Coca-Cola have successively launched sugar-free beverage products in an attempt to grasp The taste buds of the younger generation of consumers who have higher requirements for healthy eating.
As an emerging domestic brand, the reason why Yuanqi Forest can quickly stand out is due to its sugar-free differentiated positioning. For a long time, the brand promotion of Yuanqi Forest has been creating the concept of "0 sugar, 0 fat, 0 card". And printed it on the outer packaging of the product.
Many consumers buy the vitality forest, the picture is its more healthy "0 sugar" ingredients.
However, among the milk tea products launched by Yuanqi Forest, "0 sucrose" was chosen as an important selling point.
The confusion between "0 sucrose" and "0 sugar" has caused many consumers to misunderstand that this is a healthy sugar-free beverage, even though the ingredient list clearly states that sugar substitutes with crystalline fructose are added. ingredient.
From the perspective of Yuanqi Forest, "Milk tea has milk so it has sugar" is a simple common sense.
But this fact is not necessarily a well-known knowledge among consumers.
For the vast majority of consumers, they do not necessarily have the professional knowledge to distinguish various concepts such as "sucrose", "0 sugar" or "sugar substitute", and usually do not study its ingredient list specifically.
The most intuitive basis for choosing a certain beverage may be whether the product's promotional positioning matches your own tastes and needs.
Regarding the extremely confusing situation between "0 sucrose" and "0 sugar" related to milk tea products, Yuanqi Forest did not make a strict distinction, and made explicit statements to consumers. Instead, it used word games to deliberately blur the distinction between the two.
This marketing method of scoring the sideball itself violates relevant laws and regulations.
Article 4 of the Advertising Law clearly requires that "advertisements must not contain false or misleading content, and must not deceive or mislead consumers." Yuanqi Forest has the basic responsibility and obligation to clearly inform consumers.
It is worth mentioning that, at the level of publicity and promotion, it is not the first time that Yuanqi Forest has "turned over".
It was suspected of inducing consumption and over-marketing. It has been questioned many times before and accused of violating relevant regulations such as the Advertising Law. The road to its rise can be said to be accompanied by a lot of controversy.
In this context, Yuanqi Forest should learn lessons in time, instead of occupying the market through false propaganda and misleading consumers.
As an Internet celebrity product that focuses on marketing, once it lacks the necessary discrimination and distinction in some key details, it is likely to create a deep-rooted illusion for consumers.
A few days ago, Yuanqi Forest announced the completion of a new round of strategic financing. After the completion of the financing, the valuation reached 6 billion US dollars, which can be regarded as an industry unicorn.
As a domestic brand, it is even called "the light of domestic products" by some people.
But whether it can afford the title of "the light of domestic products" depends not only on the current market share of the product, but also on whether the company can regulate and abide by the law.
If it continues to fall into various negative storms due to misleading propaganda and other issues, it will only consume word-of-mouth and reputation.
The controversy aroused by Yuanqi Forest is a powerful reminder: Fully respecting the basic rights and interests of consumers is the right way for the sustainable development of domestic brands.
Xiong Zhi Source: China Youth Daily
Version 08, April 14, 2021