Spurred by netizens, a domestic investigation found that the company’s listed overseas production address was linked to an unrelated Australian auto shop.
A top-selling Chinese health supplement company has triggered a national scandal after its products were revealed to be produced domestically, despite being marketed as high-end Australian imports.
Revealed on April 1 in an investigation by state broadcaster CCTV, the brand, called YouthIt, also allegedly purchased international cosmetic awards to boost its image, and its products lacked the governmental approval required to be listed as health supplements.
The news quickly went viral online, with the hashtag “YouthIt” attracting more than 130 million views on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo as of Tuesday.
Touted as a deluxe Australian supplement brand, YouthIt is among the top supplement sellers on major domestic e-commerce platforms, having sold more than 6 million bottles of lutein — an antioxidant used to protect eye function — across all platforms. Products cost between roughly 300 ($44) and 400 yuan each.
False claims of overseas origins have been a common marketing tactic among some Chinese brands, used to create a premium image and justify higher prices. But the practice is now coming under increasing scrutiny, with regulators cracking down on fraudulent advertising.
The brand’s false origin claim first drew scrutiny from consumers, who traced YouthIt’s product import information to a company based in...
NEWS Spurred by netizens, a domestic investigation found that the company’s listed overseas production address was linked to an unrelated Australian auto shop. A top-selling Chinese health suppleme...