The State Administration for Market Regulation issues a draft of the "Enforcement Guidelines for Advertising Reference Content" for public consultation.

On December 12, in order to further improve the advertising supervision system and address the relatively concentrated problems in the current advertising market, the State Administration for Market Regulation drafted the "Enforcement Guidelines for Referenced Content in Advertising (Draft for Comments)" and solicited public opinions. The guidelines state that in referenced advertisements containing information such as the performance, function, use, specifications, expiry date, and discount conditions of goods, supplementary explanations should not be made in a way that makes it difficult for consumers to discern through methods like reducing font size, changing fonts, or using text in colors similar to the background, nor should limits or explanations that are unreasonable or contrary to common sense be imposed on the performance, function, use, specifications, expiry date, or discount conditions of the goods. In referenced advertisements, using terms such as "best" in sub-industries, sub-areas, or sub-regions, or promoting sales, sales volume, market share as "number one," but if the relevant industry, area is smaller than the national economic industry classification and standards, or the area is smaller than the provincial administrative region, it may lead to consumer misunderstandings about the market position and competitive advantages of the operating entity and its products and services, this does not fall under the exemption provisions of the "Enforcement Guidelines for Absolute Advertising Language" Article 6, Item 6. The original text is as follows: Announcement from the State Administration for Market Regulation on the Public Solicitation of Opinions on the "Enforcement Guidelines for Referenced Content in Advertising (Draft for Comments)" In order to implement the Advertising Law of the People's Republic of China, further improve the advertising supervision system, and address the relatively concentrated issues in the current advertising market, such as the use of third-party reports in advertisements, mass production of "industry first" in segmented areas, the creation of "inward competition" by using "big fonts to attract attention, small print for disclaimers," and other issues, the State Administration for Market Regulation has drafted the "Enforcement Guidelines for Referenced Content in Advertising (Draft for Comments)" to further regulate the supervision of referenced content in advertisements by market regulation authorities, and to guide and help advertising entities improve their compliance with referenced content. We are now openly soliciting opinions from the public and welcome relevant units and the public to provide feedback to the State Administration for Market Regulation by January 12, 2026. Feedback on opinions can be submitted through the following channels: 1. Log on to the website of the State Administration for Market Regulation (website: https://www.samr.gov.cn/), and submit opinions under the "Survey Collection" section on the homepage. 2. Send an email to [email protected], with the email subject stating "Opinions on the Enforcement Guidelines for Referenced Content in Advertising." 3. Mail letters to the Advertising Supervision Department of the State Administration for Market Regulation, No. 9, Madian East Road, Haidian District, Beijing (postcode: 100088), with the phrase "Opinions on the Enforcement Guidelines for Referenced Content in Advertising" written on the envelope. Enforcement Guidelines for Referenced Content in Advertising (Draft for Comments)