How Fake Meat Photos Became Zambian News

Introduction

In May 2016, a sensational story spread through Zambia claiming that China was processing human corpses into canned meat and exporting the products to African countries. The allegation was accompanied by gruesome photographs that appeared to provide undeniable visual proof. What made the episode notable was not the originality of the rumour but the way a Zambian tabloid newspaper transformed an already-circulating social-media hoax into an international news story without verifying its source material. Within days, the claim triggered diplomatic complaints, government statements and widespread online discussion before being exposed as false. The episode remains one of Zambia’s clearest examples of how shocking images, weak verification practices and existing social tensions can combine to turn internet misinformation into mainstream news.[zm.china-embassy.gov.cn]zm.china-embassy.gov.cnStatement Issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia…20 May 2016 — On 19th May, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zamb…Published: May 2016

The Claim and Its Rapid Spread

The rumour alleged that Chinese companies were using dead human bodies to manufacture corned beef and other canned meat products destined for African consumers. Versions of the story circulated on Facebook and other social-media platforms, often citing unnamed workers in Chinese factories and repeating dramatic claims that China had run out of burial space for its dead. The posts were accompanied by disturbing photographs supposedly showing the processing and packaging of human flesh.[Snopes]snopes.comchina corned beef dead bodiesIs China Producing Corned Beef from Dead Bodies?10 May 2016 — Unverified, unvetted postings on social media used photographs from v…Published: May 2016

A Zambian tabloid, Kachepa, published the allegation in May 2016 and presented it as a genuine news report rather than an unverified internet rumour. Once it appeared in print, the claim gained a level of legitimacy that many social-media posts lack. Other outlets and online commentators repeated the story, while international media began reporting on the controversy itself.[zm.china-embassy.gov.cn]zm.china-embassy.gov.cnStatement Issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia…20 May 2016 — On 19th May, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zamb…Published: May 2016

The story also resonated because it touched existing anxieties. China had become an increasingly visible economic presence in Zambia through mining, construction and infrastructure projects. Public debates about Chinese investment, labour practices and economic influence already existed, making some readers more willing to accept extraordinary allegations that portrayed Chinese companies in a negative light.[The Washington Post]washingtonpost.comchina no we are not sending cans of human flesh to africaThe Washington PostChina: No, we are not sending cans of human flesh to Africa19 May 2016 — China's ambassador to Zambia released a stern…Published: May 2016

Where the Shocking Images Actually Came From

The photographs were the most persuasive element of the rumour. Readers could dismiss anonymous claims, but graphic images appeared to provide direct evidence. In reality, the pictures came from unrelated sources and had been recycled repeatedly online.[Snopes]snopes.comchina corned beef dead bodiesIs China Producing Corned Beef from Dead Bodies?10 May 2016 — Unverified, unvetted postings on social media used photographs from v…Published: May 2016

The most famous image in the collection originated from a 2012 promotional stunt for the video game Resident Evil 6. To advertise the game’s horror themes, organisers created a temporary butcher’s shop at London’s Smithfield Market displaying realistic-looking body parts made from ordinary meat products. Photographs from the event later escaped their original context and were repeatedly reused in false stories about cannibalism and food scandals. Fact-checkers later confirmed that the display was a publicity event rather than evidence of any criminal activity.[AFP Fact Check]factcheck.afp.comthese photos do not show human meat being sold corned beef africaAFP Fact CheckThese photos do not show human meat being sold as…5 Aug 2019 — Chinese people have started producing Corned Beef and are…

Other images attached to the rumour came from unrelated incidents, including older graphic photographs circulating on the internet years before the Zambia story appeared. The collection created a false impression of corroboration: multiple pictures seemed to confirm the same allegation even though they had different origins and no connection to one another.[AFP Fact Check]factcheck.afp.comthese photos do not show human meat being sold corned beef africaAFP Fact CheckThese photos do not show human meat being sold as…5 Aug 2019 — Chinese people have started producing Corned Beef and are…

This was a classic example of image laundering. Material created for one purpose was detached from its context, combined with unrelated photographs and then presented as evidence for a completely different claim. Once the images were shared widely, many readers encountered them without any information about their real source.[Snopes]snopes.comchina corned beef dead bodiesIs China Producing Corned Beef from Dead Bodies?10 May 2016 — Unverified, unvetted postings on social media used photographs from v…Published: May 2016

How the Story Unravelled

The reaction was swift. China’s ambassador to Zambia publicly condemned the allegation as a malicious falsehood and demanded action. Zambian officials also moved to distance themselves from the report, recognising the potential diplomatic consequences of allowing the claim to circulate unchecked.[The Washington Post]washingtonpost.comchina no we are not sending cans of human flesh to africaThe Washington PostChina: No, we are not sending cans of human flesh to Africa19 May 2016 — China's ambassador to Zambia released a stern…Published: May 2016

On 19 May 2016, Zambia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the publication. The ministry explicitly described the article as fabricated and noted that the images had been taken from a Resident Evil promotional campaign. The government criticised the newspaper’s conduct as irresponsible and unethical journalism.[zm.china-embassy.gov.cn]zm.china-embassy.gov.cnStatement Issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia…20 May 2016 — On 19th May, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zamb…Published: May 2016

At roughly the same time, fact-checkers and international journalists traced the photographs back to their actual origins. Investigations showed that there was no evidence whatsoever that human remains were being processed into commercial meat products for export. The entire narrative depended on recycled images and unsupported claims that had circulated online before reaching Zambia.[snopes.com]snopes.comchina corned beef dead bodiesIs China Producing Corned Beef from Dead Bodies?10 May 2016 — Unverified, unvetted postings on social media used photographs from v…Published: May 2016

Why the Apology Could Not Match the Rumour

A month after publication, Kachepa issued an open apology. The newspaper acknowledged that the report had come from social media and had not been verified before publication. It admitted that the story was a hoax and apologised to the Chinese people.[en.gmw.cn]en.gmw.cncontent 23649324fake "human meat" was set up at London's Smithfield Market. On 19th May, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia issued a press…

Yet the correction never travelled as far as the original claim. This imbalance is common in misinformation episodes. Sensational allegations attract attention because they are shocking, emotionally charged and easy to remember. Corrections are usually less dramatic and arrive after audiences have already formed impressions. By the time the apology appeared, the rumour had already circulated across multiple countries and platforms.[en.gmw.cn]en.gmw.cncontent 23649324fake "human meat" was set up at London's Smithfield Market. On 19th May, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia issued a press…

The case illustrates a recurring weakness in modern information systems. Publishing first and verifying later can create consequences that survive long after a false story has been withdrawn. Even years afterwards, fact-checking organisations continued encountering recycled versions of the same “human meat” claim on social media, demonstrating how persistent such stories can be once they become detached from their original debunking.[AFP Fact Check]factcheck.afp.comthese photos do not show human meat being sold corned beef africaAFP Fact CheckThese photos do not show human meat being sold as…5 Aug 2019 — Chinese people have started producing Corned Beef and are…

What the Episode Reveals About Media Verification

The human meat rumour is best understood not as an elaborate hoax created in Zambia but as a verification failure. The underlying falsehood already existed online. What transformed it into a major news event was the decision to treat viral material as newsworthy evidence without checking where the photographs came from or whether the claims had independent support.[en.gmw.cn]en.gmw.cncontent 23649324fake "human meat" was set up at London's Smithfield Market. On 19th May, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia issued a press…

The episode also demonstrates the persuasive power of visual material. Many people assume photographs prove that an event occurred, yet the images in this case were genuine photographs that had simply been stripped of context. Nothing had to be digitally altered for the deception to work. Readers were misled because the pictures were real but misrepresented.[AFP Fact Check]factcheck.afp.comthese photos do not show human meat being sold corned beef africaAFP Fact CheckThese photos do not show human meat being sold as…5 Aug 2019 — Chinese people have started producing Corned Beef and are…

Within Zambia’s wider history of media errors and modern misinformation, the 2016 human meat scare stands as a memorable example of how recycled internet content can become international news when basic verification breaks down. The story’s enduring lesson is straightforward: dramatic photographs are not evidence on their own, and the more shocking a claim appears, the more important verification becomes before publication.[china-embassy.gov.cn]zm.china-embassy.gov.cnStatement Issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zambia…20 May 2016 — On 19th May, 2016, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Zamb…Published: May 2016

Amazon book picks

Further Reading

Books and field guides related to How Fake Meat Photos Became Zambian News. Use these as the next step if you want deeper reading beyond the article.

Book

Likewar

By Peter Warren Singer, Emerson T. Brooking

Explains how shocking content spreads online and across media.

See on Amazon

Book

Calling Bullshit

By Carl T. Bergstrom, Jevin Darwin West

Teaches readers how to interrogate sensational evidence.

See on Amazon

Book

The Misinformation Age

By Cailin O'Connor, James Owen Weatherall

Addresses why rumours persist despite correction.

See on Amazon

Book

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds

By Charles Mackay

Rating: 4.0/5 from 5 Google Books ratings

Connects many different forms of public misconception and hoax.

See on Amazon

Browse more on Amazon:LikewarCalling BullshitThe Misinformation Age

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

eBay marketplace picks

Marketplace Samples

Live-tested eBay searches with available results related to this page.

Shop location

UsingUSA USA USAUKCanadaAustraliaIreland

Example eBay listing

Wimbledon Tennis Backpack Championships Press Media Reporters Commentators New

SearcheBay.co.uk: news media memorabilia

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

Greek vintage stamps Assemblage collage unique art HandMade piece decor new

SearcheBay.co.uk: news media memorabilia

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

RUGBY WORLD CUP MEMORABILIA - Media Ticket Opening Match - New- England Vs Fiji

SearcheBay.co.uk: news media memorabilia

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Example eBay listing

RUGBY WORLD CUP MEMORABILIA - Media Ticket Opening Match - New- England Vs Fiji

SearcheBay.co.uk: news media memorabilia

Browse similar oneBay.co.uk

Browse more oneBay.co.uk

Example items shown for inspiration; availability and pricing can change. Branchoria may earn a commission if you purchase through outbound eBay links.

Endnotes

1. Source: zm.china-embassy.gov.cn
Link:https://zm.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/hdytz/202210/t20221008_10778860.htm

Published: May 2016

2. Source: snopes.com
Title: china corned beef dead bodies
Link:https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/china-corned-beef-dead-bodies/

Published: May 2016

3. Source: en.gmw.cn
Title: content 23649324
Link:https://en.gmw.cn/2017-01/11/content_23649324.htm

4. Source: factcheck.afp.com
Title: these photos do not show human meat being sold corned beef africa
Link:https://factcheck.afp.com/these-photos-do-not-show-human-meat-being-sold-corned-beef-africa

5. Source: factcheck.afp.com
Title: An image
Link:https://factcheck.afp.com/no-photo-does-not-show-chinese-selling-human-meat-africans

6. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/chinaplusnews/posts/is-china-feeding-africa-human-flesh-no-a-zambian-tabloid-has-claimed-that-chines/689509297856450/

7. Source: youtube.com
Title: China denies selling ‘human corned beef’ to Africa
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNAo-PMH-Oo

8. Source: youtube.com
Title: Resident Evil 6
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdo4oDqctoQ

9. Source: washingtonpost.com
Title: china no we are not sending cans of human flesh to africa
Link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/05/19/china-no-we-are-not-sending-cans-of-human-flesh-to-africa/

Published: May 2016

Additional References

10. Source: independent.co.uk
Link:https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/china-denies-exporting-cans-of-human-meat-to-african-supermarkets-a7039306.html

Published: May 2016

11. Source: youtube.com
Title: Why China Is Reassuring Africa It Isn’t Selling Human Meat
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Av1XB7a0uM

12. Source: x.com
Link:https://x.com/ChuBailiang/status/743659947330678784?lang=en

13. Source: foodnavigator-asia.com
Title: China slams reports that companies are selling human flesh to Africa
Link:https://www.foodnavigator-asia.com/Article/2016/05/23/China-slams-reports-that-companies-are-selling-human-flesh-to-Africa/

14. Source: straitstimes.com
Title: china denies exporting human meat to african supermarkets
Link:https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-denies-exporting-human-meat-to-african-supermarkets

15. Source: indianexpress.com
Title: china human meat hoax 2814866
Link:https://indianexpress.com/article/trending/trending-globally/china-human-meat-hoax-2814866/

16. Source: youtube.com
Title: Human Meat Market in London
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EGFwWiV4MnU

17. Source: youtube.com
Title: Germany’s WWI Corpse Factories
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOiMKOSRivI

18. Source: scholarship.law.cornell.edu
Link:https://scholarship.law.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1070&context=sajpd