A Beijing man is suing a Guangdong-based dietary supplement company and its spokesperson, former NBA star Yao Ming, for false advertising.
Feng Changshun, said he bought fish oil capsules from By-Health in early February, but the product failed to alleviate his memory and eyesight issues as promised, according to China Youth Daily.
In his application to the court, Feng wrote that By-Health claimed its supplements capsules could assist with "cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, stroke, cerebral thrombosis, stroke, atherosclerosis, heart disease, Alzheimer's, arthritis, gout, asthma, memory loss, and vision loss."
Under the new Consumer Protection Law adopted on March 15 this year, celebrities who endorse false advertisements are jointly and severally liable with the merchant.
"Regardless of whether Yao is responsible, [the case] sounds an alarm for celebrity endorsements. Stars must know, endorsements are not artistic activities ... but legal activity," Renmin University of China Law School professor and vice chairman of the China Consumers' Association Liu Junhai told the newspaper.
Representatives for Yao Ming have not commented on the case.
[Image via By-Health]
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