Mengniu controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2026
Mengniu apologizes over milk-waste backlash
Company response
Mengniu apologized after its Youth With You 3 marketing campaign encouraged purchases of bottled milk for contestant voting, prompting fans to discard milk and criticism of the campaign. iQIYI also apologized and said it took responsibility for the programme's rules and their effects.
Company response
Apology — Mengniu
Mengniu, in a Weibo apology, said the dairy company fully supports and is actively cooperating with iQIYI on the measures taken to rectify the issue.
Apology — iQIYI
In a Weibo apology dated 6 May, the company said it acknowledges the criticism it received from consumers and members of the media and "feels extremely guilty" about the issue.
Source excerpt
In a Weibo apology dated 6 May, the company said it acknowledges the criticism it received from consumers and members of the media and "feels extremely guilty" about the issue.
Chinese dairy conglomerate Mengniu has apologised after its marketing campaign for iQIYI's Youth With You 3 went awry.
By purchasing more milk bottles, fans will increase contestants' chances of garnering more votes and winning. While this might have bode well for contestants on Youth With You 3, this resulted in fans buying more milk than they could consume. Hence, fans resorted to disposing of the milk and only keeping the caps to scan the code, China Daily and the Global Times reported.
2021
Youth With You 3 voting promotion and milk waste
A promotion placed voting QR codes inside Mengniu milk-bottle caps and encouraged fans to buy products to support contestants. Reports that fans discarded milk while collecting caps generated criticism over food waste. Mengniu apologized, expressed opposition to waste and said it cooperated with corrective measures.
2020
CSRC warning letters to Ketuobio and Credit Suisse Founder Securities
Fine or penalty
The article reports that Ketuobio and its IPO sponsor, Credit Suisse Founder Securities, received CSRC warning-letter measures in connection with the concealment of important information about a price reduction to Mengniu Dairy.
Source excerpt
与此同时，作为保荐券商的瑞信方正及保荐代表人袁建中、韩卫国也难辞其咎，同样受到了警示函措施。
隐瞒向蒙牛乳业降价重要信息，科拓生物与保荐券商双双被罚
2011
Aflatoxin levels exceed standard in specific batches of pure milk from Meishan plant
In December 2011, a batch of pure milk from Mengniu's Meishan plant was found in sampling inspection to have aflatoxin M1 levels exceeding the standard. The company apologized and destroyed the relevant products, said that the batch did not enter the market, and linked the problem to feed management. This item is limited to the announced batch and does not treat all Mengniu milk as contaminated.
2010
Employees and PR firm sentenced in online defamation case against competing brand
In 2010, relevant personnel in Mengniu's marketing department and employees of a hired public relations company were suspected of fabricating facts online to defame Yili. In 2011, a court of first instance sentenced six individuals involved to criminal penalties. This entry concerns offenses by specific employees and partners, and does not list the defamed Yili as a party that committed illegal acts.
2008
Melamine detected in liquid milk
In September 2008, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine announced the results of a special inspection of liquid milk; 11 of the 121 batches submitted by Mengniu for testing were found to contain melamine. The incident involved the specific batches tested that year and is not a determination that all products of the entire brand were contaminated.