China's top judicial authorities have highlighted five significant criminal cases related to food safety violations in cyberspace, underscoring the urgent need for stronger measures to clean up the online market and protect consumers' rights.
The Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate revealed that the rise of e-commerce platforms has facilitated online food sales but also enabled offenders to exploit the internet, compromising food safety through tactics like algorithmic consumer targeting and fake transactions to manipulate product rankings.
Violators have bypassed online oversight by privately negotiating prices or using obscure language, allowing food safety risks to proliferate more rapidly than in traditional offline sales. Some online platforms have been negligent in ensuring food safety, failing to adequately scrutinize food vendors' business qualifications and registration information.
"These violations seriously disrupt market order and pose threats to public health and safety, leading to strong public dissatisfaction," the statement said. In response, the State Administration for Market Regulation expanded digital business licenses on food delivery platforms in July to prevent unlicensed or fraudulently registered restaurants from selling meals online, targeting "ghost" food delivery outlets operating under false credentials.
One notable case involved an individual named Luo, who forged and sold 3,961 fake business licenses and permits between 2024 and July 2025, earning over 360,000 yuan ($53,366) illegally. Another individual, Chen, assisted Luo in forging 1,170 certificates, making over 20,000 yuan in illegal profits. Six others used these fake certificates to register shops on food delivery platforms, allowing unqualified individuals to operate storefronts and sell food online.
After a trial, a court in Jiujiang sentenced Luo to six years in prison and fined him 100,000 yuan for forging and trading in state organ certifications. Chen received a sentence of three years and six months, along with a 10,000 yuan fine. The other six individuals received sentences ranging from 14 to 30 months.
