P&G's Crest hit with RMB6mn fine in China for alleged false advertising

The Crest toothpaste division of Procter & Gamble (PG.NYSE) has been fined nearly US$1 million for false advertising as the Shanghai Administration for Industry & Commerce claimed its commercials had exaggerated the effects of some brands of toothpaste and used digital enhancement to make teeth appear whiter, Reuters reported. The RMB6.03 million fine is the largest of its kind on record, according to some Chinese media outlets, and Crest is one in a series of international brands – including Volkswagen AG and Nikon Corp – to be caught in false advertising controversy in recent years as China attempts to strengthen consumer protection laws.