China: Opened consultation for Amendment of Anti-Unfair Competition Law including consumer protection regulation

On 22 November 2022, China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) opened a consultation on the draft amended version of the Anti-Unfair Competition Law, which includes consumer protection regulation, until 22 December 2022. The draft updates and expands a number of consumer protection provisions. Specifically, the draft provides an expanded definition of goods or practices which are misleading to consumers, for example through the use of logos or packaging similar to that of recognisable products. The draft also expands the definition of false advertising, provides a basis for distinguishing false advertising from permitted commercial practices, and draws the scope of the prohibition on assisting false advertising.