cepoLAB, the biotech cosmetics brand operated by FuJen Bio, said on the 5th that it has confirmed Chinese counterfeit products that closely imitate its own items are being sold online, and that it will strengthen efforts to protect genuine products to prevent consumer damage.
According to cepoLAB, cases of counterfeit cepoLAB products have recently been uncovered one after another through some sellers on online platforms, including major open markets such as Coupang and Gmarket, prompting consumers to exercise extra caution.
The product most widely counterfeited is the Biogenic Essence, known as the "national essence." It is a mega-hit product that surpassed 8 million cumulative bottles sold and 200 billion won in cumulative sales in the first half of this year.
The counterfeit cepoLAB products identified so far were confirmed to have been manufactured in China. They were forged with such precision that even the container, outer packaging, and manufacturing lot number matched the original, making it difficult for consumers to tell the difference with the naked eye.
The biggest concern is that these counterfeit products do not use the raw materials independently produced and managed by cepoLAB. They also have not undergone checks on the manufacturing environment, production process, or product quality, making it impossible to verify the ingredients and safety of the contents.
Because cosmetics are applied directly to the skin, cepoLAB believes that using products from unverified sources could affect consumer health. It has therefore decided to step up monitoring and response efforts against unofficial sales channels to prevent customer damage.
Accordingly, the company will fully halt sales through open markets and unofficial channels, while operating its distribution system centered on officially designated retailers. cepoLAB's current official sales channels include its official brand store, Naver Brand Store, Olive Young, Musinsa, CHICOR, official home shopping broadcasts and the respective home shopping companies' official online malls, as well as Hyundai, Lotte, and Shilla I'Park Duty Free.
It also plans to immediately report and suspend sales of any counterfeit products found, while taking strong legal action against the manufacture and distribution of fakes.
A cepoLAB official said, "The recently identified counterfeits closely imitate even the appearance and manufacturing lot number, making them difficult for consumers to distinguish, so extra caution is needed." The official added, "Please make sure to check cepoLAB's official sales channels before purchasing, and if you find a suspicious product, report it immediately to cepoLAB's customer center." Jeon Sang-hee, Sportschosun nowater@sportschosun.com
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
