Fair Trade Commission Headquarters Directly Investigates Suspicions Regarding Coupang PB Product Reviews

Coupang Rocket Delivery stock photo / Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Sejong=Reporter Dongwoo Lee] The Fair Trade Commission headquarters is investigating allegations that Coupang mobilized employees to write fake reviews for its private brand (PB) products to increase exposure rankings and induce consumer purchases.

According to the industry on the 22nd, the Fair Trade Commission's Market Surveillance Bureau received a report from six organizations, including the People's Livelihood Hope Headquarters of the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy, accusing Coupang and its subsidiary CPLB of violating the Fair Trade Act and the Act on Labeling and Advertising, and has launched an investigation.

Typically, reported cases are received and handled by regional offices, but if the case has significant social impact or is deemed more efficient to be handled by the headquarters, the case may be received and investigated by the headquarters.

Earlier, on the 15th, the People's Livelihood Hope Headquarters and others held a press conference pointing to over 4,200 products from 16 brands launched by CPLB, suspected of being targets of Coupang's review manipulation, including Gomgom (food), Comet (household goods), Tamsa (pet food), Carat (clothing), and Home Planet (home appliances).

They claimed that since around July last year, Coupang has been instructing employees to write reviews for these products, presumably to raise the exposure rankings of PB products through the reviews.

In response, Coupang stated, "99.9% of Coupang product reviews are written by purchasing customers," and explained that "the People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy is repeatedly making false claims."

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