Dettol has apologised after facing backlash in China over an advertisement supposedly calling out sexism.

The British hygiene brand was criticised by Chinese social media users for objectifying women and reinforcing gender stereotypes through its micro-drama style advertisement alluding to a woman's chastity.

The five-minute advert tells a story about a relationship unfolding from the man's perspective.

It begins with the man looking for a partner who is "clean" and "not tainted by other men" after breaking up with his girlfriend upon learning of her cohabitation experience.

The protagonist goes on to make statements like "No wonder you're so experienced, someone else trained you before" and "I can have past relationships, but my future wife must not."

The man later praises his new girlfriend, saying: “I'm lucky to have met this girl. She's pure and untainted by other men. It's not easy to find such an innocent girl."

But a plot twist flips that narrative, with the woman calling him toxic and likening him to bacteria that need to be eliminated in order to feel at peace.

The advert triggered outrage as well as calls for a boycott of the brand and its products. A user on Weibo wrote: "What a trashy advertisement. It's left me speechless."

"I quit watching after just two minutes. The video is toxic to people's minds," said another user on Xiaohongshu, the Chinese version of TikTok.

On Monday, Dettol released a statement taking "responsibility for any negligence in creating and reviewing the content of the advert".

"We recognise that it has offended many people, especially women," it said.

The company said the video was made by a third-party creator and that it was meant to criticise gender bias.

"But we are well aware that true protection also lies in safeguarding the dignity of every individual and their right to be treated equally," it added.