Jing Tian Photo: CFP

 
The market regulator bureau in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong Province, fined Chinese actress Jing Tian 7.22 million yuan ($1.08 million) as her endorsements of a product violated the Advertising Law. 

Jing is the brand ambassador of Guangzhou-registered Infinite Free whose main product is fruit and vegetable pressed candy. Jing in the ads claimed the product can prevent absorption of sugar, oil and fat without verifying its functions, according to a release from the State Administration for Market Regulation on Saturday.

China's Advertising Law stipulates that ordinary food is not allowed to be advocated for having therapeutic functions. 

Jing's income of 2.58 million yuan from the endorsement was confiscated and she was fined an additional 4.64 million yuan, totaling 7.22 million yuan. The market regulator in Guangzhou also conducted an investigation on the company, according to the release.

Soon after the punishment was announced, Jing apologized on Sina Weibo for not carefully checking commercial contracts and hurting consumers who trust in the product. Jing said she acknowledges her mistakes and had paid the fines, vowing to be responsible for consumers and not to endorse relevant products in the future. 

The pressed candy has been pulled off shelves on major e-commerce platforms like Taobao and JD.com. Snapshots suggested the candy was sold at roughly 100 yuan each box of 28 grams. 

Jing, who starred in Pacific Rim 2, is the latest entertainer involved in legal cases. Chinese actor Deng Lun, famous for TV drama Ashes of Love, was fined $16.6 million for tax evasion in March following star livestreamer Viya's $210 million fine for the same reason in late 2021. 

Global Times