Recently, media reports said that some beverage wholesalers purchased a batch of C’estbon purified water from distributors in Lianyungang for sale. During the sales process, customers reported that “C’estbon water has a taste of disinfectant.” After learning of the customer feedback, they immediately made returns and contacted the C’estbon factory at the earliest. However, the C’estbon company has not yet provided results from the quality check. The photos show that the production date of this batch of C’estbon water was May 5, 2023, with a shelf life of 18 months. Subsequent interviews with local officials responded that there would be no issues with water leaving the factory, suggesting that it might be related to improper storage.
After the incident was reported, it attracted wide attention, and the media followed up on the latest developments. The beverage wholesaler said that the issue of “C’estbon bottled water tasting like disinfectant” had been resolved. The person in charge of China Resources C’estbon Beverage Co., Ltd. in Lianyungang compensated for the warehouse fee, removed the remaining C’estbon water in the warehouse for destruction, and resupplied new C’estbon water. If other consumers come to inquire, the C’estbon official in Lianyungang will take full responsibility for after-sales issues.
Company response: A full production process investigation has been completed, and no anomalies were found in any link.
Reporters then sent an inquiry letter to China Resources C’estbon Beverage (Holding) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as China Resources C’estbon). The company responded to the above incident. China Resources C’estbon stated that the problem reported by customer Mr. Wu has been properly handled. Moreover, the company’s related factory has completed a full production process investigation, and no anomalies were found in any link. All retained samples from the same and adjacent batches were also found to be normal.
Lastly, China Resources C’estbon stated, out of responsibility to consumers, they have arranged for sampling of products from the same batch in different sales terminals in the area and sent them to third-party testing institutions. Meanwhile, investigations into logistics and warehousing links are also underway. The company will keep relevant parties informed about the testing and investigation results.
Consumers’ online complaints often involve water having an unusual taste, impurities, etc.
Reporters noted that complaints about China Resources C’estbon water having an unusual taste or impurities are not isolated. On platforms like the Black Cat Complaint Network, there are similar consumer complaints.
One consumer complained that the C’estbon 555ml purified water they purchased had an odd, decaying smell. Others also noticed the strong and pungent odor. After drinking, a child experienced vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. When the complainant contacted C’estbon’s customer service, they were told the water’s unusual smell might be due to it being stored with other items with strong odors or the packaging becoming damp and moldy. Despite this, they insisted that the water from this batch was fine and had not gone bad.
Other consumers also had grievances, such as finding foreign objects in C’estbon drinks. The complaints highlighted instances of not receiving proper responses from the company or sellers.
In the interview letter, reporters also mentioned some problems reflected by consumers on online complaint platforms, including whether the company was aware of the situation and how they planned to address consumer complaints. However, China Resources C’estbon did not respond to this aspect.