Dove fined $120,000 by China over chocolate ad

A Chinese company received a fine of 800,000 yuan, or approximately $120,000, for creating a Dove chocolate advertisement that depicted a woman in an undefined romantic arrangement. Shanghai authorities announced the penalty on Thursday, stating the campaign promoted incorrect views on marriage.

The video, released online in August, showed a woman receiving chocolates from a man while her boyfriend ignored her. The scene sparked debate on Chinese social media, with many users arguing the clip normalized infidelity. In response, Dove issued an apology in August, acknowledging the ad did not follow its internal content review process.

Zongzheng Food, the firm responsible for the ad and a Dove storefront on the Kuaishou e-commerce platform, was issued the fine last month. The Shanghai Municipal Market Supervision Administration stated in a statement that the advertisement packaged unfaithfulness as a sweet experience, thereby violating good social customs.

The penalty arrives as China grapples with a declining birth rate that has halved over the last decade. Government agencies have increasingly encouraged traditional family structures to counter this trend. Data from the civil affairs ministry showed marriage registrations dropped 9.8% year-over-year, totaling 4.6 million from January through September.

Dove, owned by Mars Inc. of McLean, Virginia, stated on Weibo that it bears responsibility for all content on its official channels. The brand described the ad as clearly inappropriate. This is not the first time Chinese regulators have acted against romantic themes in advertising; in May, OPPO punished executives for a similar spot that joked about infidelity.