The Department of Industry and Commerce of China has fined wooden floor maker Order up to RMB8 million for business fraud and false advertising.
Order claimed itself to be a famous German wooden floor brand with over one hundred years of history. However investigations discovered that it is only a local Chinese wooden floor maker that has been operating for several years and does not even have a factory of its own.
Many Chinese consumers say that they trusted Order because it always displayed a "3.15" emblem on its products. "3.15" represents "March 15", which is Consumers Day in China. These "3.15" emblems are issued by the China Consumer's Association to enterprises that meet high consumer-friendly standards.
The China Consumer's Association this past week apologized to the public for its oversight in the case of Order. It is unclear what sort of legal action individual purchasers might pursue in the near future against Order.
