Coconut milk firm inflates truth on bust enhancer

A popular drink maker known for falsely claiming its products make women’s breasts larger is at the centre of controversy again over an online advertising campaign making similar claims about breast enlargement.

Coconut Palm, China’s bestknown coconut milk brand from the southern island of Hainan, is under fire after inviting several women to promote its products in a series of live streams on video platform Douyin last week.

Wearing tight tops and shorts, the women danced in front of the camera with a can of coconut milk in their hands, triggering criticism that the company was again using claims of breast enhancement to boost sales after it had previously admitted they were groundless.

The company has been fined twice by local authorities for advertisements and packaging suggesting its product could promote breast enlargement. The fines were imposed because the company had gone against “social graces” and “interfered with public order”, according to public administrative records.

In 2019, the company responded to public pressure and admitted its beverages could not affect breast size after a social media backlash over its misleading slogans and adverts featuring busty women.

This time round, several of the company’s Douyin streaming sessions were interrupted by the platform for their controversial messaging, according to people who viewed them. It was the drink producer’s first attempt at this type of digital advertising.

“We will give more talent shows when we see 300,000 likes, and we’ll perform ‘wild motorcycle stunts’ when reaching 460,000 likes,” said the women in one streaming session last Wednesday.

The company has received many negative comments since the streams aired last week.

“Stop using large breasts to attract people if your product can’t really help breasts grow bigger,” one angry Weibo user said.

Another wrote: “While other companies focus on their products, you asked pretty women to dance. Is this your company culture?”

But one person argued: “There’s nothing wrong with wearing something sexy. There wasn’t any obscene gestures in the streaming sessions either. Why should they be criticised?”

The company has long courted controversy for slogans such as “I drink from small to big”, “drinking more coconut milk every day can make your breasts fuller”, and “drink one can a day, you will have curves that excite people”.