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 had 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 with whom he can be the first sexual partner.