China Regulator Sets Singles’ Day Rules to Curb Misleading Prices

What changed

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation has issued compliance guidance to major online platforms for Singles’ Day promotions.

The framework requires platforms to:

• Verify merchants and remove invalid operators.
• Check for “raise prices before cutting them,” misleading pricing and fake transactions.
• Tighten advertising reviews, especially for medical, pharmaceutical, medical-device and food promotions.
• Monitor livestreamers, product quality and illegal marketing.
• Protect seven-day returns, merchants’ lawful business rights and delivery workers’ lawful rights.
• Report discovered violations promptly to local market regulators.

Why it matters

The guidance treats Singles’ Day as more than a discount campaign. It puts the platform itself on the hook for the marketplace around the sale: who is allowed to sell, how prices are displayed, what livestreamers claim and whether the goods meet required standards.

That matters most where shopping, advertising and entertainment blur together. A livestream can now draw scrutiny not only for the product being sold, but also for the seller’s qualifications, the claims made on camera and the quality of the item delivered afterward. Medical and food advertising face particular attention.

For consumers, the practical promise is clearer promotion rules and stronger routes for returns and complaints. For merchants, the guidance also says platforms must not impose unreasonable restrictions or fees. The likely test will be whether these rules change what platforms actually display and remove during the promotion period. The guidance itself does not specify penalties, inspection frequency or any effect on prices.