Employees of a Chinese sales company were forced to eat live worms after they failed to reach their sales targets, according to Chinese media. The shocking incident took place in Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province, on November 8, according to Huashang Daily.

According to pictures shared online, the workers could be seen drinking Chinese rice wine which contained squirming mealworms in front of their colleagues as punishment.

The report further stated that about 50 to 60 employees, all wearing yellow uniforms, gathered at a public square in Hanzhong to witness the punishment.

A man, thought to be a supervisor, carried two plastic bags in his hands, the report further stated.

In a report of the incident made by Dailymail, the man is said to have announced the names of the employees who had failed to bring in enough clients for the companies the day before.

In one of the plastic bags held by the man, there were a large number of live mealworms.

One employee told the reporter from Huashang Daily: 'Today we are punished to eat mealworms.

'For every client we missed, he has to eat four worms.'

They were punished for not meeting a business target. A pregnant female employee, who had also missed the sales target, refused to drink the mixture of hard liquor and live worms.

She said: 'I can't eat worms now, I can't drink either, unless I don't want my baby.'

Eventually one of her male colleagues received the punishment on behalf of her. Five to six employees ended up eating the worms and the public punishment attracted the attention from onlookers.

The unusual punishment has sparked criticisms from users of Weibo, a popular social media platform with many calling for the head of the company executives.