Chinese supplement brand YouthIt faces a joint regulatory probe after CCTV reported on April 1 that the company falsely marketed products as high-end Australian imports while they were made in China. [1]
CCTV also said YouthIt allegedly bought international cosmetic awards to polish its image and lacked the government approvals needed to be sold as health supplements. [1]
The case spread quickly online. The hashtag "YouthIt" drew more than 130 million views on Weibo as of Tuesday, as users shared complaints and dug into the brand's claims. [1]
Consumers traced YouthIt's import information to a company in Anhui province, while CCTV reporters said they found an unrelated auto repair shop at the brand's registered address in Melbourne rather than a supplement facility. [1]
Chinese regulators have launched a joint investigation and summoned several platforms, including Douyin, Tmall and Xiaohongshu, for talks on tighter oversight of cross-border e-commerce. Lei Jiamao said, "Platforms, as the infrastructure behind these transactions, cannot hide behind claims of ignorance." [1]
YouthIt said in a Friday statement that it was cooperating fully with the regulators' investigation. The company has also sold more than 6 million bottles of lutein across all platforms, with products priced at roughly 300-400 yuan each. [1]