A famous coconut beverage producer based in South China's Hainan Province has become a target of criticism since it released new packaging that is being characterized as distasteful and vulgar.
The new design of the bottle used by Coconut Palm features a picture that insinuates the beverage can boost bust size. The design shows a curvy woman in a tight outfit displaying her cleavage while holding a bottle of the beverage. Beside the woman are captions reading "I grew up drinking Coconut Palm," and "one can of coconut juice a day will make you white, tender and bosomy."
Founded in 1956, Coconut Palm is one of China's oldest beverage brands. However, the company has also been mired in controversy for unsophisticated and sometimes distasteful language in its ads.
In another advertising campaign it claims that its pomegranate juice products can help with male impotence with the slogan "wives love when their husbands drink it."
On Tuesday, local authorities in Hainan confirmed that they have launched an investigation into Coconut Palm regarding claims of unsubstantiated nutritional values, reported jwview.com on Wednesday.
The industrial and commercial bureau of Longhua District, Haikou, has registered the case of Coconut Palm and begun to conduct an investigation over its suspected false advertising, the bureau said on its WeChat account on Wednesday.
The regulation department will deal with illegal advertising and maintain a healthy and orderly market, it said.
