Compiled from The Paper
 
Case review
The Shanghai Municipal Market Regulation Bureau website shows that Shanghai Wenfeng Hair Beauty Co., Ltd. was fined 100,000 yuan for claiming massage can cure diseases.

Starting in July 2021, to expand business, better promote the agarwood moxibustion health massage service, and further boost performance, Wenfeng Company purchased the "Supreme Agarwood Set" for use with agarwood moxibustion and distributed it to 50 directly-operated stores and brand franchise stores nationwide for external sales and use, primarily for health massage services in the stores. Meanwhile, to support promotion, the company's planning department independently designed and edited materials based on graphic information retrieved from Baidu."From July to September 2021, Wenfeng's nationwide stores offer a summer special: Agarwood moxibustion nourishes the heart with fragrance, nurtures the body with moxibustion. Natural agarwood, no added mugwort leaves, great scent, healthier... Agarwood Qi-Blood Moxibustion can help customers achieve four major effects: expelling dampness and cold, alleviating pain, replenishing vital yang, and regulating Qi and blood," and other graphic advertising slogans.On July 5, 2021, these were distributed via WeChat groups or email to the heads of 50 stores nationwide, who were instructed to produce the above advertising content into posters, table cards, etc., for external display in the stores.

Additionally, the company's self-produced and externally displayed corporate journal "Today's Wenfeng" (July 2021 issue, No. 201) also contained advertising content such as "Agarwood Qi-Blood Moxibustion can help customers achieve 'expelling dampness and cold, alleviating pain, replenishing vital yang, and regulating Qi and blood'." The above agarwood moxibustion health massage service has no medical purpose, and the products in the "Supreme Agarwood Set" have no drug or medical device approval numbers and do not have disease treatment functions.

On December 7, 2021, the Hongkou District Market Regulation Bureau of Shanghai decided to impose the following administrative penalty on the party: (1) Order to stop publishing the advertisement and eliminate the impact within the corresponding scope; (2) Fine of 100,000 yuan.

 
 

 
Article 17 of the Advertising Law of the People's Republic of China
Except for advertisements for medical treatment, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices, any other advertisements are prohibited from mentioning disease treatment functions, and must not use medical terminology or expressions that could easily confuse the promoted products with pharmaceuticals or medical devices.

 
[1] The author's perspective
Recently, Shanghai Wenfeng Beauty and Hairdressing has faced one trouble after another. First, it was summoned by the Shanghai Consumer Protection Commission for issues such as false advertising and forced consumption. Later, a fawning promotional article pushed public opinion to a peak, even drawing criticism from heavyweight media outlets like CCTV.com and Xinhua News Agency, which harshly condemned it for "engaging in personality cults."
 
As of now, there are 115 legal cases, legal documents, and administrative penalties related to Shanghai Wenfeng. Looking back at the penalties Wenfeng has received in recent years: in February 2020, the company's legal representative, Brother Hao, was fined 500,000 yuan; in 2019, an elderly person spent 2.35 million yuan at Wenfeng over three years; in 2012, a Songjiang Wenfeng store was suspected of illegal medical practice; in 2007, a Ms. Gao developed symptoms such as redness, swelling, and skin ulceration after receiving skin care at a Wenfeng store on Fuhai Road in Jiading District. It is evident that despite years of operation, disputes have persisted, and the brand's reputation is precarious.
 
In response to recent adverse incidents, Shanghai Wenfeng issued an apology statement, stating that the company is undergoing rectification. The author believes that since businesses operate with open doors, consumers are the source of livelihood. Only by respecting consumers and effectively safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests can one truly succeed in business.