"Alkaline Water Myth" Tracking: Illegal Promotion of Product Recalls
In response to the report by The Paper (www.thepaper.cn) on the eve of 315 that the well-known Yunnan water company "Shilin Tianwaitian" suggested in its marketing promotion that drinking the company's pH9.3 alkaline mineral water has curative effects, the reporter4 On the 12th, I learned from the Kunming Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau that after investigation, it was determined that the company, through direct or indirect publicity, implied that its products had "disease prevention and treatment functions", which violated the "Advertising Law of the People's Republic of China". Relevant regulations imposed a fine of 300,000 yuan on the company, recalled 760 batches of illegally advertised products (14,280 bottles in total), and ordered it to stop advertising and eliminate the impact within a corresponding range.
On March 14, Peng Mei News reported on the famous Yunnan water company "Shilin Tianwaitian" on its official website and public account with the title of "315 Investigation | , small programs, leaflets and other carrier platforms, implying that the "natural mineral water" produced by the company is highly alkaline water, which can treat gout, tumor, gout, osteoporosis, blood sugar, fatty liver, hyperuricemia and other diseases effect.
Food experts, doctors and people in the industry said that the concept of "alkaline water" is just a gimmick for businesses to create publicity. There are a variety of alkaline water with different concepts on the market. After eating, it is not good for the body, and the benefits are not as good as their own. Boiled water.
After the report was published, the Kunming Market Supervision and Administration Bureau quickly expressed its position to intervene in the investigation, and media such as CCTV and China Youth Daily also followed up and reported it.
On April 12, the Kunming Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau responded to the surging news that on March 14, 2022, after receiving the clues of the "Shilin Tianwaitian alkaline water" case, the Kunming Municipal Market Supervision and Administration Bureau immediately organized forces to set up a task force. Go to "Shilin Tianwaitian" company (full name Yunnan Tianwaitian Natural Beverage Co., Ltd.) for inspection at the first time.
On the spot, 1,331 products marked "Alkaline 9.3 Drinking Natural Mineral Water" were found, including 650 pieces of brochures and several brochures.
The investigation found that, in order to promote the sales of "Shilin Tianwaitian Alkaline 9.3 Drinking Natural Mineral Water" products, the company used the official website, WeChat public account, Douyin applet, Kunming bus mobile TV media and outdoor advertisements, as well as brochures attached to the products. Promote and introduce the product in other forms.
Including: setting up a column on the official website to introduce alkaline water and health series popular science, alkaline treatment and other related content, and claiming the therapeutic effect of alkaline water on diseases in the form of small videos; advertising on Kunming bus mobile TV media to promote animal experiments through animal experiments , which proves that alkaline water has a therapeutic effect on diseases such as gout and osteoporosis; in various printed brochures, it is claimed that alkaline water has special effects on preventing and treating diseases.
After investigation, Yunnan Tianwaitian Natural Beverage Co., Ltd., through various media channels, directly or indirectly implied that its products have "disease prevention and treatment functions", which violated the relevant provisions of the Advertising Law of the People's Republic of China.
The law enforcement officers of Kunming Market Supervision and Administration Bureau imposed administrative coercive measures on the company on the spot, seized the products involved, and conducted sampling tests on the products.
On March 15, the company recalled the "Alkaline 9.3 Natural Mineral Water for Drinking" which had entered the sales link of 28 distributors (a total of 760 batches of 14,280 bottles were recalled). All illegal advertisements inside.
After sampling and testing, all products meet food safety standards.
In response to the party's illegal advertising behavior, Kunming Market Supervision and Administration Bureau, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the "Advertising Law of the People's Republic of China", imposed the following administrative penalties on the enterprise: 1. Ordered to stop publishing advertisements, 2. Ordered to eliminate the impact within the corresponding scope, 3. A fine of RMB 300,000.
In the next step, Kunming Market Supervision and Administration Bureau will continue to increase supervision, strict administrative law enforcement, standardize industry behavior, guide all market entities to operate in good faith in accordance with the law, effectively safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, and actively create a fair and orderly market environment and safe and secure. consumption environment.
The Paper reporter Peng Yu