Chinese firms ‘misled customers over olive oil in products’
Companies inflated the amount of the expensive oil they said was in their cooking oils, state TV reports
Three Chinese cooking oil producers have been accused by state TV of making misleading claims about the amount of more expensive olive oil in their products.
The report aired on CCTV on Sunday said the three firms in Fujian province sell blended oil, but have misled customers about the percentage of olive oil in the products.
More expensive types of cooking oil, including olive oil, have become increasingly popular with Chinese consumers as they are deemed healthier.
The latest allegations come after a string of cases involving the sale of recycled, used cooking oil, dubbed “gutter oil”, in China.
The TV report said one company, Fujian Xi Hai Grains and Oils, sold a blended product which it said contained 5 per cent olive oil, but bottles were far too cheap to contain the advertised amount of the more expensive oil.
