A probe of seven online platforms found 597 cases of false IP labeling on health food listings
False intellectual property claims are rampant in online health food advertising, a government investigation has found, raising serious concerns for consumers who rely heavily on product descriptions when making purchases.
The Korea Intellectual Property Office said Wednesday it had uncovered 597 cases of false IP labeling after probing health food listings on seven online platforms between Aug. 24 and Sept. 14.
Online health food sales have been consistently growing, but because consumers cannot inspect products directly, they tend to rely heavily on product descriptions and advertising. The agency said it conducted the investigation during a period of surging holiday gift demand, citing the significant influence IP labeling has on consumer trust and purchasing decisions.
Among the types of IP rights falsely claimed, patent rights accounted for the vast majority at 562 cases, or 94.1 percent, while trademark rights made up the remaining 35 cases, or 5.9 percent.
Breaking down the violations by type, 534 cases (89.4 percent) involved listing an expired right as still valid, 35 cases (5.9 percent) involved applying IP labels to products whose registration had been rejected, 19 cases (3.2 percent) involved displaying a registration number not applicable to the product, and 9 cases (1.5 percent) involved marking a product as registered when it was still under application.
By product category, health functional foods accounted for the largest share at 292 cases (48.9 percent), followed by other processed food products at 213 cases (35.7 percent).
The agency said false IP labeling is particularly common in the health food sector because products are difficult to differentiate, making inflated claims an easy way to attract consumers. Sellers identified in the investigation were notified of proper IP labeling requirements, and corrective measures have been completed.
To prevent repeat violations, the agency plans to systematically record and manage the violation histories of flagged sellers and conduct follow-up investigations to strengthen its recurrence-prevention framework.
Kim Yong-hun, director general of the IP Protection and Cooperation Bureau, said false IP labeling "provides consumers with inaccurate information, obstructs rational purchasing decisions, and undermines a fair and transparent trading order." Kim added that the agency would step up its investigations into false IP labeling and work to establish a culture of accurate IP disclosure so consumers can make well-informed purchasing decisions.
kwonhl@heraldcorp.com
