56 cases of false advertising claiming food as a 'sleep-inducing medicine' were uncovered

There are many unfair advertisements and deceptive practices in health functional foods..

So, I always make it a habit to check whether they have obtained the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's health functional food certification.

Honestly, I used to buy a lot just because there was a hot deal and it was cheap...

When you look at it, candies, general processed foods... there are many cases like this.

Please make sure to check the MFDS certification mark so you do not mistake it for a health functional food.

And you can find such violation foods on the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety's "Korea Pharmaceutical Safety Information Service" website.

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Verification of direct purchase foods blocked due to false advertising of disease prevention and efficacy, among other issues

Major violation cases (provided by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety)

(Seoul=News1) Reporter Kang Seung-ji = The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced on the 6th that it has identified 56 cases of violations of the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Food, including unfair advertising of general foods as "sleep-inducing agents" or "sleep aid medicines" on online shopping malls.

Amid increasing consumer interest in sleep health due to summer heatwaves and tropical nights, this inspection was conducted to prevent consumer harm, as cases of false advertising claiming that food products have sleep-inducing benefits and effects are also on the rise.

We also examined the illegal distribution of imported health foods containing substances like sennoside, which cannot be used as food ingredients, along with online advertisements for products related to "diet" and "body shape management," which are gaining increased interest during the summer vacation season.

Senna side effects are contained in the plant 'Senna leaf' and are used as medicinal ingredients for treating constipation. Misuse or abuse can cause side effects such as diarrhea, vomiting, and decreased intestinal function. It is also a type of raw material or ingredient that has been banned from import as a food product in Korea.

As a result of the inspection, 28 cases (50%) of advertisements were identified that falsely suggest health functional foods by advertising regular foods as "sleep health," "sleep supplements," or "diet," leading to confusion or mistaken beliefs. Additionally, 20 cases (35.7%) of advertisements for imported health foods containing sennoside were also confirmed.

In addition, there were 5 cases (8.9%) of advertisements that falsely claimed general foods could prevent or treat diseases, advertisements that misled consumers into perceiving products like "sleep-inducing medicine" as pharmaceuticals, and advertisements that deceived consumers through purchase reviews or testimonials, as well as one case (1.8%) of health functional food advertisements that differed from approved content.

Since numerous false advertisements that cause consumers to mistake general foods for health functional foods have been uncovered, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has urged consumers to check for the 'Health Functional Food Certification Mark' on products when purchasing health functional foods online.