This is a negative typical case of false advertising and disregard for consumer rights and interests in the protein powder industry. In the second half of 2025, a large number of consumers filed complaints on the Black Cat Complaint Platform, reporting severe ingredient fraud in MKAN Mass Gainer purchased on Douyin. The product’s promotional materials claimed that whey protein isolate was the first ingredient on its list, and also labeled the inclusion of enzymatically hydrolyzed oat flour. However, actual testing revealed that maltodextrin accounted for over 50% of the product, making it the primary component—an omission that violated its promotional claims.
Numerous users reported experiencing adverse physical reactions after consumption, including blood sugar spikes, persistent acne breakouts, nausea, and elevated blood pressure. To make matters worse, when consumers applied for returns and refunds, merchants maliciously rejected the requests on the grounds of “non-receipt of goods” after signing for the returned packages. Human customer service representatives responded with perfunctory and evasive attitudes, and even with Douyin platform intervention, some issues remained unresolved. This incident affected a large number of consumers, exposing the industry’s malpractice of some protein powder brands using inferior ingredients to replace quality ones and engaging in false advertising to cut costs. It also underscored the importance of e-commerce platforms strengthening quality and after-sales supervision over sports nutrition products.
