Tsingtao Brewery initiates probe regarding viral video showing staff urinating into tank

China's beermaker Tsingtao has initiated investigation after a video which shows a factory employee urinating on raw ingredients went viral this week. 

According to its official statement on Weibo posted on 20 October, Tsingtao Brewery said that it is highly concerned about the video and had reported it to the police. It has also opened a probe into the incident.  

“At present, the batch of malt in question has been completely sealed. The company will continue to strengthen its management procedures and ensure product quality,” the company added. 

This comes after a video clip that showed a male worker at a Tsingtao Brewery warehouse No. 3 climbing into a malt container and urinating on raw ingredients, went viral.  

The video has also drawn mixed reactions among Hong Kong's social platforms, with approximately 1,000 mentions observed over the past weekend, according to media intelligence firm CARMA. A majority of these mentions, accounting for 76.7%, expressed a negative sentiment. 

Netizens were concerned about the persistent issues of food hygiene and safety in China and they believed that the video depicting the incident would damage the reputation of Tsingtao Brewery among overseas consumers, said Charles Cheung, CARMA’s HK GM.  

On platforms such as LIHKG, users had flooded the discussion with sarcastic comments, suggesting that what transpired at the Tsingtao Brewery plant was not uncommon in other food production facilities in China, Cheung added.  

“Additionally, some users expressed confusion over the fact that the individual who filmed the incident was arrested by local authorities, while the worker who engaged in the inappropriate behavior was not,” Cheung said.  

According to Cheung, the incident sparked a broader conversation about the need for stricter regulations and better enforcement in the food industry in China.  

"The widespread negative sentiment and critical commentary on social media highlighted the public's growing concern about food safety standards and the potential impact on the brand image of Tsingtao beers,” Cheung added.  

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Tsingtao Brewery for a statement. 

Related articles:

MY police band goes viral performing Cantonese hit for scam awareness event
Cable TV 's news anchors take down viral dance cover as executives reportedly express concerns
Why Barbie's selfie generator is going crazy viral