Internet celebrity yogurt vulgar marketing? Market supervision department investigation
Internet celebrity yogurt brand Blueglass was investigated by market regulatory authorities for alleged vulgar marketing and misleading consumers.
On May 9, the Shanghai Municipal Market Supervision Bureau stated that based on issues reported by consumers and the media, it had requested the relevant district market supervision departments to conduct an on-site investigation of Blueglass stores.
Previously, some netizens reported that the promotional content of the two new products launched by Blueglass was suspected of being "frivolous".
The ingredient lists of these two drinks include maca, cistanche, polygonatum, ginseng, deer penis, cordyceps militaris, taurine and other substances. They also include "I will not sell it to those under 18 years old", "I will not sell it to prank boyfriends" and "60 I don’t dare to sell them if they are over 1 year old” and other slogans.
The reporter saw in the Blueglass online mini program that the ingredients list of the two "Superboy Comeback" yogurts also contained the above substances, and claimed to have "300 billion active probiotics/cup" and "18 kinds of vitamins and minerals."
Blueglass customer service said that most of the additives are ground into powder in advance and put into small bags. Each bag has about 5 grams of additives. During processing, the bags are opened and the powder is mixed into yogurt. Although the content is not high, it is not recommended for people under the age of 14. Buy and consume these sports yogurt drinks containing "men's tonics".
The Advertising Law stipulates that advertisements must not interfere with public order or violate good social customs. The market supervision department said that it is investigating the suggestive content in the relevant advertising.
According to the Advertising Law, if the performance, function, use, quality and other information of the product, as well as the promises related to the product, are inconsistent with the actual situation and have a substantial impact on the purchase behavior, it is false advertising. Regulatory authorities stated that if a product claims to have added substances but actually does not, or the claimed function does not actually exist, or the food advertisement involves disease treatment functions, etc., it is suspected of being illegal.
In addition, some consumers question whether Chinese medicinal materials can be added to drinks. In this regard, food safety experts said that according to current regulations, Cistanche deserticola, Polygonatum, Codonopsis pilosula, American ginseng and other substances are traditionally regarded as both food and Chinese medicinal materials. The health administration and food safety supervision and management departments will formulate and publish the management catalog of these substances. The "Food Safety Law" stipulates that no drugs may be added to food produced and traded, but substances that are traditionally both food and traditional Chinese medicinal materials can be added. Therefore, it is okay to add Cistanche deserticola, Polygonatum sibiricum, Codonopsis pilosula, American ginseng, etc. to food.
In this regard, many netizens said that although the addition of Chinese medicinal materials in the catalog to such drinks is not prohibited, minors and other groups should be strictly distinguished during the sales process, and they should be fully informed and reminded of the risks of purchasing.
On May 9, reporters noticed that the Blueglass online mini program had a warning that "the product is not suitable for people." The unsuitable people for the "Superboy Come Back" yogurt are: children and teenagers under 14 years old, pregnant women and breastfeeding people. Pregnant women and those allergic to edible fungi.
After all, "medicine is three parts poison". Selling it as yogurt instead of a drink containing medicinal ingredients risks misleading unsuitable people into over-consuming drugs.
In addition, whether multiple drugs mixed together will cause adverse effects on specific groups of people remains to be studied and verified. Before there is a clear conclusion, food producers and operators should adopt a cautious attitude and not treat consumers as "guinea pigs."
