Dettol apologises after ‘toxic men’ advert sparks backlash in China

British disinfectant brand withdraws advert about a man’s efforts to find a ‘clean and untouched’ woman The British hygiene brand Dettol has apologised after an advertisement released in China, which it said was intended to criticise “toxic men”, was widely condemned on social media as offensive to women. The five-minute advert for a multipurpose disinfectant, released across many online platforms at the end of May, features a man comparing his girlfriend with his former partner. Learning that his former girlfriend previously lived with someone else, the man likens their relationship to a “secondhand service”. He then tells his friends that he intends to find a “clean and untouched” woman for whom he can be the first sexual partner. Continue reading...

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What happened

According to The Guardian’s source item, Dettol apologises after ‘toxic men’ advert sparks backlash in China, British disinfectant brand withdraws advert about a man’s efforts to find a ‘clean and untouched’ woman The British hygiene brand Dettol has apologised after an advertisement released in China, which it said was intended to criticise “toxic men”, was widely condemned on social media as offensive to women. The five-minute advert for a multipurpose disinfectant, released across many online platforms at the end of May, features a man comparing his girlfriend with his former partner. Learning that his former girlfriend previously lived with someone else, the man likens their relationship to a “secondhand service”. He then tells his friends that he intends to find a “clean and untouched” woman for whom he can be the first sexual partner. Continue reading…

Context

The development sits in VINI’s Global file for readers following international affairs, institutions, conflict, diplomacy, economics, and cross-border consequences. The original report is linked so readers can check the source account, follow later updates, and compare new coverage against the first published record. The source item is dated 2026-06-24T07:16:22+00:00.

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Open questions include whether primary sources issue follow-up statements, whether local or market impacts become clearer, and whether additional reporting changes the timeline or adds material context.

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Primary source: Dettol apologises after ‘toxic men’ advert sparks backlash in China via The Guardian. VINI cites and links the source; it does not reproduce the publisher’s full article text without rights clearance.

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