SAMR Deploys Consumer Protection Measures and Demands Better AI Customer Service

On November 10, 2026, China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) held a symposium with platform companies on the theme of "Safe Consumption, Shared by All" as part of the National Consumer Environment Optimization Month for 2026. At the meeting, SAMR urged platforms to make public commitments to safe consumption and improve the consumer experience. Platforms were asked to establish first-responsibility accountability and advance-compensation mechanisms, to raise the quality of their AI customer service while ensuring smooth handoffs to human agents, and to resolve consumer disputes promptly. Two broader initiatives are being advanced in parallel: a three-year action plan to optimize the consumption environment and the National Consumer Environment Optimization Month campaign. A national safe-consumption platform is now online: merchants can display a safe-consumption badge and receive traffic support, while consumers can check merchant credit records and submit reviews or complaints with ease. A one-click dispute-resolution feature is planned for next year to help settle consumer disagreements.