[Exclusive] Emart Faces Backlash After 'Hangover Cure' Sales Ban Leads to Stock Clearance

Implementation of Hangover Remedy Verification System This Year
Sales Prohibited Without Human Application Test Data
Emart PB Bisangdaechak Sold on SSG.com Until Recently
Recalled from Convenience Stores Last Year... "Misunderstood Guidance Period"

It has been confirmed that Emart illegally sold the hangover remedy "Bisangdaechak," produced by its private brand (PB) BioPublic, through its e-commerce affiliate. Since the implementation of the hangover remedy verification system on January 1 this year, the sale of hangover remedies without human application test data has been prohibited, leading to the withdrawal of the product from Emart's offline stores and convenience stores at the end of last year. However, the product continued to be distributed at a drastically discounted price on SSG.com until recently, raising criticism that it might be a clearance sale of banned hangover remedy stock. Selling hangover remedies without clinical certification is a legal violation that can result in administrative sanctions of up to two months of business suspension for manufacturers and sellers.

According to comprehensive reporting on the 10th, Emart sold the hangover remedy Bisangdaechak tablets, which did not have human application test verification data, on SSG.com until the 5th. Bisangdaechak is a product launched in 2023 under BioPublic, a health functional food brand introduced by Emart in June 2021. At that time, Emart introduced it as a high-quality hangover remedy while saving on marketing costs since it was a PB product.

Emergency measures sold on SSG.com on the 5th. Screenshot from the SSG.com app.

The price sold on SSG.com was 990 KRW for three packets of 4.5g each. During this period, SSG.com applied additional discounts for members, sometimes selling it for prices in the 970 KRW range. The regular retail price of the product was 3,890 KRW, meaning it was sold at about a 75% discount. It was sold at around 1,500 KRW per packet but was sold for 330 KRW per packet during the discount.

The problem is that Bisangdaechak was classified as a banned product from January 1 this year. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) implemented the hangover remedy verification system this year, requiring products to have data proving the hangover relief effect through human application tests and systematic literature reviews to use expressions that can be perceived as helping improve symptoms caused by drinking (such as hangover relief or before/after hangover). Furthermore, for labeling and advertising, the relevant data must be submitted to the Food Industry Association, a voluntary review body, to be recognized as having verification data.

The MFDS is conducting a guidance period for labeling and advertising until the end of May this year (allowing existing labeling and advertising to be maintained for products produced before December 31, 2024, even if not recognized by the Food Industry Association, provided they have human application test verification data). However, companies without human application test verification data must stop selling their products. A Food Industry Association official stated, "The guidance period only differs in that the verification data has not been submitted to the Food Industry Association," adding, "From this year, products must not be sold without human application test verification data."

In fact, at the end of last year, the convenience store industry stopped ordering products from suppliers who did not have human application test data for hangover remedies and took measures to dispose of or recall the products themselves. Among the recalled products was Emart's Bisangdaechak. Currently, Bisangdaechak is not sold at the convenience store CU or Emart offline stores where it was previously stocked. A convenience store industry official explained, "Currently sold products all have human application test verification data," and "Since the end of last year, we have not conducted transactions with those who did not submit the data from January 1 this year."

The expiration date of the product purchased by the informant earlier this month. Provided by the informant.

However, Emart did not dispose of the product but sold it at a discount through SSG.com. Some consumers reportedly received products with a short remaining shelf life. A consumer who recently purchased a large quantity of Bisangdaechak through SSG.com requested a refund after receiving products with only two months left before expiration. The purchaser criticized, "I bought it to stock up because of the hangover remedy discount, but if you are going to give products with only two months left before expiration, shouldn't you at least notify customers?" and added, "Saying that customers should think and purchase on their own because it's a discounted product is very irresponsible." The shelf life of the hangover remedy is about two years from the manufacturing date.

The MFDS has warned companies that engage in unfair labeling and advertising without supporting evidence that they will face business suspension. The suspension period ranges from a minimum of 15 days to a maximum of two months. According to the MFDS, administrative sanctions for violations of the hangover remedy verification system apply to those who use the term "hangover relief." In the case of Bisangdaechak, although the manufacturer is Inseong Pharmaceutical, since it is Emart's PB product, Emart is likely to be the subject of administrative sanctions. An MFDS official explained, "Actions violating related regulations can be sanctioned," and "Since this case was given a grace period in advance, we are monitoring to prevent violations."

Meanwhile, Emart removed the product from SSG.com on the afternoon of the 5th, when this report began. An Emart official said, "The product should have been discontinued from this year as it did not undergo separate human application tests, but we misunderstood the guidance period," adding, "After realizing the fact, we withdrew the product and stopped sales."