On Mar. 18, 2020, eleven departments, including SAMR, NHC, NRTA (National Radio and Television Administration), and MPS (Ministry of Public Security) unveiled a notification on the 2020 priority work schedule. One of the major targets detailed within the notification relates to the comprehensive management of false and illegal advertising. The mechanisms for cooperation and responsibilities of departments were also detailed [1].
The document underscores that marketing and advertisement in many sectors will be subject to more stringent supervision, including health food, medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, real estate, and financial investment. Additionally, the competent authorities will crack down on those illegal advertisements involving COVID-19 prevention and therapy.
Due to the outbreak of COVID-19 at the beginning of 2020, the public has a stronger awareness of health. Sales of health food are growing. With reference to Alihealth data, the average daily turnover of vitamin products purporting to strengthen the immune system reached 1.73 million RMB (244.9 thousand US dollars) from Jan. 30 to Feb. 19, an increase of 238.6% compared to the period spanning from Jan. 20 to Jan. 29 (peak outbreak period) [2].
However, the illegal promotion of healthy food was also commonplace during this special period. According to “The Report of Consumer Product Complaints during COVID-19 Control Period” issued on Mar. 15, the largest number complaints received by authorities in health food sector related to false advertising. For example, an enterprise in Maoming advertised that Vitamin C effervescent tablets could help prevent COVID-19 infection [3], and some milk powder enterprises advertised lactoferrin as an antiviral agent [4].
In addition to national-level campaigns, local authorities are also taking action. Guangzhou Administration for Market Regulation stated that food and health food advertisements relating to COVID-19 would be a major supervision target [5], and Beijing authority banned the advertisement declaring Covid-19 prevention and therapy function [6].