Nongfu Spring Bottled Water Faces Boycott in China Over Nationalist Backlash Against Brand's Artwork

Zhong Shanshan built bottled water company Nongfu Spring into a Fortune 500 company, becoming China's richest person, but now the brand is under attack by nationalist social media users accusing it of using Japanese-style images on its bottles.

Social media users are boycotting Nongfu Spring by pouring out its water products, using them to clean floors, and swapping to its competitor Wahaha's beverages.

The controversy has wiped out $3.8 billion in market value from Nongfu Spring's parent company over 2 weeks, though shares have recovered slightly.

Chinese consumers have previously boycotted foreign brands like Dolce & Gabbana and H&M, and domestic tech champion Huawei, over perceived cultural insensitivities or insults.

Zhong Shanshan built his $63 billion net worth starting as a reporter before selling mushrooms, nutrition supplements, and finally bottled water, capitalizing on China's poor tap water quality.