Regulatory review: Clampdown on fake online ads in South Korea, the five need-to-know new rules in APAC

Marketing gone wrong: 15 South Korean influencers breached health foods ad rules​

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has said 15 Youtubers and Instagrammers breached health foods advertising rules.

In a notice on Jan 9​, the MFDS listed the identities of the social media influencers, the types of products involved, and the types of offence.

The MFDS has been monitoring influencers with over 100,000 followers on social media platforms and have been advertising weight-loss supplements on their accounts for five months since last August.

Case closed: Nine years jail for boss of China supplement firm that breached MLM rules ​

A year-long saga involving Chinese direct-selling firm Quanjian has now come to a close​ with its founder sentenced to jail for nine years.

Shu Yu Hui, who pleaded guilty to leading organised MLM activities, was also fined RMB$50m (US$7.2m).

Another 11 employees of Quanjian who were also charged for organising MLM activities were fined and sentenced to jail terms of three to six years.  

Regulations 2020: Five of this year’s need-to-know supplements and functional foods developments revealed ​

APAC’s fragmented, and at times volatile, regulatory landscape can be a major headache for supplements and functional foods firms. As we enter 2020, we look at some of the new rules​ that will commence from January and the developments that are likely to take place in the year ahead.

Speaking to industry stakeholders, regulators, and regulatory consultants, we zoom into the regulatory developments in five major markets, China, Australia, Thailand, South Korea, and India.

China​

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has issued new guidelines on health food labelling which came into effect on January 1, 2020.

Tracking TCM: China aims to achieve full traceability for products within five years ​

China is aiming to achieve full product traceability​ for key traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) botanical species within five years.

The National Administration of TCM released a document detailing the suggested action plans and the ministries involved to regulate and improve the sector.

The action plans were drafted at the state council level.

Taiwan nutritional labelling: FDA introduces new laws for vitamin and mineral supplements ​

Taiwan FDA has announced amendments​ to the way vitamins and minerals are labelled in the country, where the main revisions are the vertical format of nutrition labels, and units for nutrient values.

The changes apply to vitamin and mineral tablets and capsules which are used as nutritional supplements.

The regulation​ is established under the provisions of Item 3 of Article 22 of the Food Safety and Sanitation Management Law (Regulations on Nutrition Labeling for Prepackaged Vitamin and Mineral Tablets and Capsules).