Two Weeks Starting May 21...
"Creating a Safe Food Consumption Environment"
On May 20, Seogu District in Gwangju (District Mayor Kim Ikang) announced that it will conduct intensive crackdowns to prevent residents from being harmed by false and exaggerated advertisements, which are spreading in the online food market.
Starting from May 21, Seogu plans to carry out intensive crackdowns and preventive activities for two weeks, targeting false and exaggerated advertisements that mislead consumers by claiming medical effects such as weight loss or immune system enhancement.
Recently, as the distribution of food through online channels has become commonplace, consumer harm from exposure to unverified information has been increasing. In particular, advertisements that emphasize false benefits or imply medical efficacy are misleading consumers.
In response, Seogu plans to send official notices to 335 local businesses involved in online food sales, including specialized distributors and health functional food sellers, outlining legal compliance requirements and major violations, in order to emphasize their responsibility for advertising management.
Additionally, Seogu will continuously monitor online sales sites of food businesses that have not registered their operations, aiming to minimize illegal activities by addressing administrative complaints and conducting inspections.
At the same time, Seogu will conduct public awareness campaigns for residents. Through its website and social media, Seogu will provide information on major types of false and exaggerated advertisements and consumer precautions, and will support the development of residents' ability to independently identify the authenticity of advertisements.
Lee Wongu, head of the Seogu Public Health Center, stated, "Consumer harm is increasing due to indiscriminate advertising of online food products that are not subject to business registration," and added, "This policy is the first preventive administration initiative in Seogu, and we will continue monitoring and public awareness efforts to create a safe food consumption environment."
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