According to China Times, Michelle Chen has recently shifted her career focus to mainland China. In addition to acting and appearing on variety shows, she has also been active in online sales. However, she has now become embroiled in controversy after the brand Youthit was exposed by Chinese media for falsifying its origin claims. Michelle Chen was among several celebrities who had promoted the brand.
Her agency quickly issued an apology to calm public backlash and announced compensation plans. However, on April 6, People’s Daily published a strongly worded article criticizing the actress. The article stated: “She not only betrayed public trust but also became an accomplice to unscrupulous merchants seeking illegal profits, thereby crossing the legal red line.”
The report first highlighted serious violations by such brands, noting: “These fraudulent practices not only severely disrupt market order and infringe on consumers’ rights to know, choose, and ensure health and safety, but also undermine the credibility of the entire industry.”
It further pointed out that some companies use “foreign labels” to attract customers, reinforcing the misconception among consumers that imported goods are superior to domestic products.
The newspaper emphasized: “This outdated consumer perception must change. More alarmingly, some businesses focus not on product quality but on fabricating origins, purchasing fake international awards, and hiring so-called ‘experts’ to promote their products using a ‘foreign façade’ to exploit consumers.”
The article also stressed that celebrities hold significant influence, and consumers often rely on their credibility when making purchases. However, many stars fail to properly verify key information such as certifications, authenticity of origin, and product quality or deliberately overlook them. This, it argued, constitutes a serious betrayal of public trust.
“In the era of online consumption, honest sellers will quickly gain recognition, while those driven solely by profit and lacking responsibility will not escape negative judgment,” the publication added, urging celebrities to value their reputations, carefully evaluate products, and avoid endorsing problematic brands.
In recent days, all Youthit products have been removed from online platforms. The brand was exposed by CCTV as being manufactured and packaged in China while being marketed as imported from Australia.
Sources: Znews
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