Fertilizer "Increases Sugar Content" or "Controls Pests"?... 163 Cases of Exaggerated Advertising Corrected by the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service

From Major Online Marketplaces like Naver, Coupang, and 11st to YouTube
Corrective Measures Implemented: Sales Suspensions, Advertisement Modifications, and Deletions

A total of 163 fertilizer advertisements that could be misunderstood as claims for pest and disease control or for increasing sugar content were uncovered.

The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service announced on August 17 that, as a result of a special inspection on false or exaggerated advertising and labeling of fertilizers distributed and sold through online platforms, corrective measures such as sales suspensions, modification and deletion of advertising phrases, as well as administrative guidance, were taken for 163 cases.

The Asia Business Daily DB

This inspection targeted companies distributing and selling fertilizers on major e-commerce platforms such as Naver, Coupang, and 11st, as well as on YouTube, from April to July. The main focus was to determine whether advertisements included phrases that could cause fertilizers to be mistaken for agrochemicals such as disinfectants, insecticides, or growth regulators, and whether essential information such as the registration number, type, and name of the fertilizer was provided clearly for consumers to identify.

The most common violation was advertising fertilizers using phrases that could cause them to be misunderstood as growth regulators, such as for root promotion or increasing sugar content. This was followed by advertisements that could be mistaken for fungicides or insecticides, such as claims of anthracnose prevention or pest and disease control. Other violations included omitting essential fertilizer labeling information, or using unsubstantiated expressions like "best," "top," or "100%" without objective evidence.

Inspections were also carried out for fertilizer advertisements on YouTube. Relevant videos were reported to YouTube’s operator, and links to sales were deleted or blocked. Going forward, the agency plans to request YouTube to strengthen its self-monitoring against false or exaggerated fertilizer advertisements and will continue follow-up measures to prevent recurrence.

This special inspection was carried out in collaboration with the Korea Online Shopping Association to raise awareness among fertilizer distributors and sellers about exaggerated advertising, and to encourage voluntary corrective actions. The National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service explained that the initiative is meaningful, as it also provides guidance for posting essential fertilizer labeling information even during online sales, thereby enhancing consumers' right to know.

Additionally, the agency conducts annual quality inspections to ensure compliance with standards regarding the main ingredients and harmful substances in fertilizers. Among these, around 50 quality inspections are conducted each year specifically for fertilizers distributed online. Moving forward, in light of this inspection, the agency plans to gradually increase the number of quality inspections for online fertilizers to further enhance the effectiveness of fertilizer quality control.

Kim Cheol, Director of the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service, said, "We will strengthen guidance and publicity for fertilizer distribution and sales companies so that consumers who purchase fertilizers online are not harmed by false or exaggerated advertising and can accurately check the necessary information." He further requested, "We hope that the related industry also actively participates in eradicating exaggerated advertising to establish sound distribution practices when selling fertilizers online."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.