A2 Milk is confident it will meet all new Chinese cross-border e-commerce requirements affecting the sale of its
Platinum infant formula in that country on or before March 31 next year.
China’s government has extended the grace period for foreign companies to meet these new requirements to that date from
Jan. 1.
The new requirements include English label products that comply with country of origin regulations can continue to be
sold in China through e-commerce channels if they provide the consumer access to an electronic Chinese translation of
the packaging label as well as notification that the products comply with regulations in the country of origin but not
necessarily with those of China.
Consumers will be required to electronically acknowledge their understanding of these notifications before placing an
order.
Such products must have adequate traceability systems, return and exchange services, product recall systems, product
quality and safety risk prevention and control mechanisms and consumer dispute handling processes.
They must have real-time reporting of transaction, payment and logistics information electronically to China Customs.
“The company welcomes this further guidance, which continues to demonstrate the Chinese government’s support of this
channel with a strong focus on improving channel transparency and protecting the rights and safety of consumers,” A2
said in a statement.
“The detailed implementation policy guidelines issued on Nov. 30 are consistent with the A2 Milk Company’s market
interpretations expressed in market announcements on Sept. 3 and Nov. 22,” it said.
In the year ended June, 25.3 percent, or $233.6 million, of A2 Milk’s total sales were directly into China and other
Asian countries through bricks-and-mortar “mother and baby” stores as well as through e-commerce channels such as
Alibaba’s Tmall.
However, a fair chunk – the exact numbers aren’t disclosed – of A2’s sales in Australia and New Zealand, which totalled
$656.6 million in the year ended June, were destined for China through the Daigou or grey-market trade.
The majority of A2’s $724.2 million Platinum sales are ultimately in China.
The shares rose 3.9 percent to $10.75 in early trading today.