Chinese-Owned GNC Draws Fire Over US Military Base Presence

April 3, 2025, 4:01 AM UTC

A congressman and former Army special operator is seeking to bar GNC from operating on US military bases, saying the supplements and wellness products retailer is a potential national security risk.

GNC—which started as a small, family-owned health-food store in Pittsburgh in 1935—was bought by the Chinese state-owned Harbin Pharmaceutical Group after the supplements retailer filed for bankruptcy in 2020. The vastly expanded, now international, company has had a ubiquitous presence in the US.

The new GNC ownership can put the US military at risk by potentially exposing personal information, spending habits, geolocation and behavioral patterns that could be exploited ...

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