For ordinary consumers, buying daily necessities is undoubtedly a common thing. We often think that as long as the product has passed the approval of the relevant departments, it must be safe and reliable. However, some recent shocking news has forced us to re-examine this perception: some products containing carcinogens that have long been removed from the shelves abroad are still being sold in the Chinese market. What's going on here? Who is harming our health?
I. Aggressors: The "Double Standards" of Multinational Corporations
Through the combing of recent news reports, we found that almost all of these products containing carcinogens come from some well-known multinational companies, such as Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, etc. There are two main reasons why these companies sell these harmful products in the Chinese market: first, there are differences in regulatory standards in different countries; Second, the company has a "double standard" business strategy.
On the first reason, we found that there are significant differences in product safety and quality standards in different countries. For example, some of Procter & Gamble's toiletry products sold in the United States and Canada were found to contain benzene, a carcinogen, and were forced to remove them from their shelves. However, similar products in the Chinese market are considered to meet the relevant domestic standards, so they can continue to be sold. This makes one wonder whether there is a problem with China's regulators, or whether these companies are "playing sloppy" in different countries.
On the second reason, we find that these multinationals seem to have a business strategy of "trading harmful chemicals for profit". They know that these goods have been banned in some countries, but they still try to sell them aggressively in relatively lightly regulated markets such as China, in order to gain more commercial benefits. This practice at the expense of consumers' health is undoubtedly a naked infringement of consumer rights and interests.
2. Victims: Ordinary consumers
When these harmful goods enter the Chinese market, the majority of ordinary consumers undoubtedly become the biggest victims. We unknowingly use these products every day, thus unknowingly being exposed to various harmful substances, which undoubtedly poses a serious threat to our health.
What is even more sad is that these dangerous goods are not limited to a certain type of product, but are found in all corners of our daily lives. From baby powder to women's loose powder to Pantene shampoo, all of them have been found to contain harmful substances such as talcum powder, which can cause cancer. This is no longer just an isolated case, but a broad-based, cross-industry and cross-regional violation.
Sadly, even though these harmful products have been removed from shelves in other countries, they are still very popular in the Chinese market. This undoubtedly not only harms the health rights and interests of consumers, but also makes us strongly question the domestic regulatory authorities. Who exactly is loosening the scrutiny of these harmful goods? And who is ignoring the vital interests of ordinary people for the sake of profit?
3. Regulators: inactive state institutions
Through an in-depth analysis of this incident, it is not difficult to find that the key to this problem lies in the negligence of the state regulatory authorities. As the ultimate regulators, they are expected to carry out strict checks and inspections on imported goods to ensure that they meet the relevant domestic standards. However, in fact, they apparently did not do their job well, so that these harmful goods were sold in the Chinese market.
What is even more puzzling is that even though these problematic products have been found to be problematic in other countries and have been removed from the shelves, domestic regulators still turn a blind eye to them. Do they have a "sleeping" inaction, or do they have some kind of ulterior deal with these multinational corporations? In any case, such a regulatory attitude has seriously damaged the vital interests of ordinary consumers, and has also raised deep doubts about the credibility of the relevant state departments.
To sum up, this incident of multinational companies wantonly infringing on the safety of Chinese consumers is not just a simple product quality issue, but a complex social issue involving ethics, public interests and even national image. We must attach great importance to this issue and resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the broad masses of consumers, so as to promote the healthy economic and social development of the mainland.
As ordinary consumers, we should certainly be vigilant and choose the goods we buy carefully. But more importantly, we should call on the relevant state departments to fulfill their regulatory responsibilities and use strict review standards and strong law enforcement measures to cut off the channels for these harmful goods to enter the Chinese market. Only in this way can we truly enjoy the right to health that we deserve, and will not continue to be the "white rats" of multinational corporations.