PDL files million yuan lawsuit against influencer

Chinese retail and supermarket chain Pangdonglai has filed a defamation lawsuit against a social media influencer surnamed Duan, seeking compensation of at least 1 million yuan ($140,000) after the vlogger alleged that the dye on underwear she bought at the supermarket caused her to have an allergic reaction.

The lawsuit is one of eight that the supermarket chain, also known as PDL, has initiated to protect its reputation and trademark rights. The chain publicized the cases, as well as a list of nine additional lawsuits that it intends to file, on its WeChat account on Saturday.

PDL's feud with Duan began in early February, when the influencer, using the name Liangge Xiaoduan, uploaded a video on the popular short-video platform Douyin. She claimed the allergic reaction resulted from underwear she bought at a PDL supermarket, and that she had been treated very badly by aftersales employees after lodging a complaint.

PDL apologized two days later after the video went viral. On Feb 14, the company said it had punished some of the involved employees for failing to handle her complaint based on established procedures and would award Duan 500 yuan for the mistreatment she received and pay for the related medical bills.

However, it also said that Duan made disparaging remarks about the underwear without authenticating her claims or sharing a doctor's expert opinion and jumped to conclusions based on emotion, which led to negative comments and trust issues with PDL's products.

The company said her remarks damaged its reputation. It cited a report in which three product quality authenticators had found the underwear involved to have met relative standards.

Duan said last month in a statement that she was not a "professional fraud fighter" and the complaint was "expressed based on facts", but she "sincerely apologizes" for using "emotional expressions" that had a negative impact on the company. She said she would be more cautious in the future.

According to PDL's statement, the company filed a lawsuit against her and is waiting for a court hearing.

The list of lawsuits the company intends to file includes one against Song Qinghui, a financial blogger on Weibo who said PDL lacks "core competency" and "only lives by harnessing internet data traffic".

Song, who has nearly 10 million followers, said on Sunday it seems the company cannot tolerate even the slightest criticism. He stood by his opinion and said he would countersue if PDL proceeded.

Based in Xuchang, Henan province, PDL has about a dozen chain supermarkets or smaller stores in the province and reported some 17 billion yuan in revenue last year. It is known for its brand loyalty and employee-friendly policies, as well as an emphasis on customer service.

However, it has also been involved in controversies, such as when its founder Yu Donglai said company employees are banned from giving or receiving caili, or bride price, and risk losing benefits from the company if they do so.

Some designated the rule as overinvolvement in employees' personal lives. PDL later said Yu was simply advocating against caili, not making an actual rule.

China has intensified efforts to curb online misinformation, targeting so-called "black-mouthed influencers" — those accused of spreading misleading claims for personal gain. Authorities have launched a crackdown on false online content, which businesses say disrupts operations and damages reputations.

liangshuang@chinadaily.com.cn