Legal experts are calling for tougher punishments for companies that sell substandard and overpriced products in China.

The Beijing Administration for Industry and Commerce disclosed that it had fined Nike 4.87 million yuan ($780,700) for selling in China a brand of sneaker that had only one air cushion in each shoe, while advertising in the country and abroad that the shoes' midsoles have two air cushions.

"This is not only discriminatory to Chinese consumers, but also a violation of Chinese laws and regulations," said Yi Shenghua, a lawyer at Yingke Law Firm in Beijing."We should reflect on the regulatory system and government standards in the country while stepping up punishment for this kind of behavior," he said.

However, an official from Nike's public relations department said the issue was simply a mistake, and denied the company had a double standard for China and elsewhere.

The official said Nike accepts and respects how Chinese authorities have handled this issue to date, and Nike will make sure all its products sold in China comply with the country's standards and regulations while remaining committed to delivering quality products to consumers in China and around the world.

Experts said it is not the first time that Chinese consumers have been treated differently.
"The deceptive advertising and double standards for the products of some international companies are growing more and more common these days," Yi said. "Many of the international giants should be attaching more attention to the Chinese market."

The Chinese government should do more to protect the rights of consumers, he added.
Liu Weifang, a student with Imperial College London, said most of the footwear and clothes for her family are purchased from abroad, where she said they are of better quality and cost less.

沪江英语快讯：耐克去年销售的一款售价高达1299元的高端篮球鞋，主要卖点之一就是有前后掌的双气垫，同样的宣传，价格却比国外高出好几百元，中国消费者买到手的却只带一个气垫。耐克因此被罚487万元，这是北京工商针对“双重标准”开出的首张罚单。

运动鞋做为标准化产品，既然在产品宣传上公布的规格一致，就应对所有的消费者提供同样的产品，如此“双重标准”是在公然欺骗消费者，理应受到严厉处罚。当然，从现实情况来看，耐克的“双重标准”行为并非罕见，而且部分企业有过之无不及，情况比耐克更为严重。有关部门应该仔细调查，如发现类似情况，严惩不贷，力求营造一个公平竞争的市场环境。