Chemical Alarm Hits Top Diaper Brands

China’s diaper safety probe shows how fast a consumer scare can turn into a trust crisis.

Quick Take

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation said it formed a joint probe on June 22.^[1]
The alarm began with a June 18 media report that linked several diaper brands to formamide.^[1]^[2]
Several companies denied the claim and said retests found no formamide.^[1]^[2]
The case has raised fresh doubts about product safety, testing, and public confidence.

Probe Launched After Media Report

China’s market watchdog said it opened a joint investigation with three other central agencies after media reports of possible formamide in baby diapers.^[1] The agencies include the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Health Commission, and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration.^[1] The move puts the government in the middle of a dispute that touches infant health, corporate reputation, and public fear. It also shows how quickly a product claim can become a national issue.

The first spark came from a report by Economic Information Daily, which said diapers from Huggies, Babycare, and Bibabebe tested positive for formamide.^[2] The same reporting said some infants had traces of the substance in blood and urine, and that parents had reported repeated rashes and skin damage.^[1]^[5] Those claims are serious, but the public reporting does not show the full test method, raw data, or named laboratory behind the original findings.

Companies Push Back Hard

The diaper makers moved quickly to reject the allegation. According to the reports, Babycare, Huggies, and Bibabebe said their own internal and external tests found no traces of formamide.^[1]^[2] Huggies also said it would take legal action over what it called false, misleading, and malicious brand-damaging information.^[2]^[3] That response turns the story into a direct fight over science, standards, and credibility, not just a product complaint.

The companies also asked for independent sampling and further review of testing standards, methods, and samples.^[2]^[3] That request matters because the public dispute is not only about whether a chemical was found. It is also about how it was tested, who did the testing, and whether the same batches were checked the same way. Until the official probe releases results, both sides are asking the public to trust competing claims.

Why This Story Hits a Nerve

This case lands in a country that still remembers earlier product scandals tied to infant health and weak oversight. Parents want safe baby products, clear answers, and fast action when warnings appear. Companies want proof before damage spreads. Regulators want to calm the public without moving too slowly. When those goals collide, distrust grows fast, and people on both sides of the political divide often end up asking the same thing: who is telling the truth?

#Update Babycare, Huggies, and Biba Baby said their latest third-party tests found no formamide in their baby diaper products, after a Chinese media report raised safety concerns.
The controversy is still drawing attention, as many potentially harmful chemicals, including… https://t.co/VGAZgdfCof pic.twitter.com/Q85mxyNFLq

— Jiemian News (@jiemian_news) June 22, 2026

The current record leaves key gaps. The reports do not identify the exact product batches, and they do not show the original third-party test file.^[2]^[5] They also do not offer a public medical study or forensic report to back the claim about formamide in infant blood and urine.^[1]^[2] The market regulator said results would be announced, but it gave no timeline.^[2]^[3] That delay keeps the rumor mill running while parents wait for a hard answer.