Miniso, a Chinese-based retail company has apologized after showing itself to be as a "Japanese lifestyle brand" for years.
In a statement released on Weibo on August 18, Miniso said that it made "serious mistakes" after taking the "wrong direction" and said that they're proud to be Chinese.
Back in 2013, Miniso based in Guangdong first opened their store in Guangzhou and manufactures most of its products in China. However, a Japanese designer Miyake Junya a co-founder worked alongside Chinese founder Ye Guofu.
Miniso, which sells homeware and electronics, used a logo and branding appeared to be similar to that of Japanese clothing firm Uniqlo. The company has been criticized from Chinese consumers who believed it was not proud of being a Chinese.
The intensity of criticisms seems to have change the successful marketing strategy, prompted the brand to begun "de-japanising" its overall store designs. It has been completed redesigning its 3,100 branches across China and it has changed logo from October 2021 to March 2022.
The changes are expected to be completed by March 2023 across its 4,200 branches around the world.
Miniso's statement comes after a social media backlash started since July, when its Spanish branch posted photographs on Instagram of Disney Princess toys dressed in Chinese cheongsam, but mislabeled them as Japanese geisha dolls.
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