17th March 2023 – (Wuhan) According to a report from a Chinese media outlet, Wuhan Watsons Personal Care Stores Ltd. (Wuhan Watsons) has been fined and ordered to cease issuing false advertisements by the Market Supervision Bureau of Hanyang District due to violations of advertising law. The penalty amounts to RMB 4263. The product in question is aloe vera gel from the Korean brand Nature Republic, which was also sold by Hong Kong Watsons but has since been removed from shelves.
Reportedly, Wuhan Watsons began promoting “Watsons Korean Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Moisturising Gel Refreshing and Mild Moisturizing 300mL” on its official flagship store on Tmall platform in August 2021. The ad claimed that the product contained “92% aloe vera liquid” and “92% aloe vera gel,” but in reality, the amount of aloe vera leaf juice from ALOE BARBADENSIS added to the product was only 0.414%, which does not align with the advertised ingredients.
Furthermore, Wuhan Watsons used phrases such as “hydrate and fight acne,” “aloe vera gel formula without preservatives,” and “ancestral” in their advertising without providing any supporting evidence. The Market Supervision Bureau believes that Wuhan Watsons violated advertising law and has ordered them to cease issuing false advertisements, eliminate the impact within the relevant scope, and pay a fine of RMB 4263.
