How far can the "provisional food counter" go?

Recently, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce issued a notice demanding that consumers who are about to reach their expiration date, that is, temporary foods, should make a conspicuous reminder to consumers at the place of business. For a time, the treatment of ad hoc foods has become the focus of attention.

During the interview, the reporter learned that “prophase” helps to reduce expired foods and prevent ad hoc or expired food from returning to the market, but it is still difficult to promote it on a large scale. So how far can the "pro-food counter" go?

Zhengzhou's first "progress food counter" sought after by customers

Recently, a Dandenis supermarket in Zhengzhou City opened the first “provisional food counter” in Zhengzhou. Most customers support the establishment of such a prominent counter, and they feel that this can remind customers that they are more transparent and at ease.

The reporter came to this supermarket and went to the supermarket on the second floor. Not far behind the door, he saw a hanging sign with “prompt goods, low prices,” with drinks, beer, and other foods next to them. The critical time limit for different foods is on the wall.

The reporter saw that the foods placed here had a period of time ranging from 1 week to 3 months, and the prices had dropped sharply compared with normal sales. A batch of fruit juices with original price of 2.8 yuan and current price of 1.5 yuan has more than two months left over from expiration. Another batch of Tibetan Qinglan beer has original price of 7.9 yuan and current price of 1 yuan. There are still half a month to expire.

A customer surnamed Liu, who is shopping with his wife, said that this is much better than previously bundled sales. It is more transparent and makes customers more aware. He picked up a bottle of beverage and said that, like this, there are two months of food from the shelf life period, and there should be no problem in safety. As long as it is not too close to the expiration date, I will buy it.

In the interview, the reporter found that many customers were dissatisfied with some shopping malls using bundled, gifted and other promotional methods, and even some unscrupulous merchants selling fast-overdue goods together with normal goods to deceive consumers and causing the goods to expire after they were bought home.

A customer said that the shelf life of some products would not be noticeable now. If they are mixed together, they will expire after they pay no attention to their homes. An ad hoc product zone is a reminder for everyone so that I can buy in the right amount. Use it in time to ensure that it can be used up before it expires and understand it more than before.

However, there are also customers, especially children in the family, who are still cautious about the health of their children and generally do not choose temporary products.

The director of the supermarket food department told reporters at the time that the prolonged goods on the 2.4-meter-long, 4-story shelf had sold out in a week, and the middle of the day had been gradually added to it, indicating that a lot of customers still recognized it. This way.

Ad hoc counters serve as a gate for the immediate or expired food return market

The reporter learned from the investigation that many large supermarkets will return part of the temporary food to the manufacturers when they are processing temporary foods, but some unscrupulous manufacturers will change the production date and then flow to the market again, which will cause potential harm to consumers. If temporary food is sold, it will reduce this hazard.

According to Tianshi, the previous temporary foods were in principle sold out of order and no longer sold. Some of the processing of temporary foods could be returned to the manufacturers for disposal. The other part was placed in our staff's canteens for internal consumption. If you do not finish your consumption, it will be destroyed.

In a large supermarket on Zijingshan Road in Zhengzhou City, reporters seldom find foods that are close to the end of their shelf life. According to a person in charge of a supermarket in the supermarket, according to the annual sales data, there will be a quantity at the time of purchase. The control; On the other hand, many foods will be returned to the manufacturer within the remaining one-third of the warranty period, and will be handled by the manufacturer.

Director Jia Honghai, director of the Chengdong Road Industrial and Commercial Works in Guancheng District, Zhengzhou City, said that how the mall will handle food after returning it to the manufacturer has always been a regulatory issue. Some unscrupulous manufacturers will change the food production date and return it to the market, and some will be used as raw materials again. Reproduction, endanger the health of ordinary people.

Jia Honghai said that the establishment of a special zone provides a channel for the sale of temporary foods. The cost of selling them is lower than the cost of returning the products to the manufacturers. The manufacturer has to change the dates to take risks, so manufacturers do not like to return them.

However, Jia Honghai, who was the chief of industry and commerce at the grassroots level for 18 years, was still more cautious in facing this new life. He reminded consumers that even with the advent of counters, consumers should keep their eyes open to see the shelf life of the goods they want to buy. Deception by bad businesses.

The responsible person of the White Elephant Group, which mainly produces instant noodles, told reporters that the establishment of "prompt food counters" is conducive to protecting consumers' right to know and fair choice of product quality. Moreover, this practice can also be avoided to some extent. Adverse food safety issues that may occur due to the ad hoc and non-advanced products being displayed together.

It is difficult to define the ad hoc food in advance.

It is understood that the current definition of temporary food does not have a uniform standard. The provision of "provisional food counters" in supermarkets is only a guideline and is not mandatory. Local industrial and commercial departments are also advising supermarkets to set up such counters and widely promote them. Certain difficulties.

Although the State Administration for Industry and Commerce as early as October 2007 issued the "Guidelines on Regulating the Food Claim Verification System and the Purchase Account System," it stipulates that "Foods that are due for expiration date should be presented to consumers at the exhibition site. "Prompt," but there are no specific provisions for "prompt attention."

It is understood that from September 2008, the Beijing Haidian Industrial and Commercial Branch took the lead in the promotion of "provisional food counters" in large supermarkets within an area of ​​800 square meters. Jia Honghai said that at present, only the Beijing Haidian Industrial and Commercial Sub-bureau has made provisions for temporary foods, and we also require that malls implement this standard.

Haidian Branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bureau defines the standard: if the shelf life is more than one year, 45 days before the expiry date is the temporary food; if the shelf life is more than six months and less than one year, 20 days before the expiry date is the temporary food; the shelf life is less than 15 days , 1 to 4 days prior to the expiry date, it is a temporary food.

Jia Honghai said that the shelf life of food itself has a regional nature. For example, the shelf life of Hainan food is different from that of Heilongjiang. Therefore, unified standards need to be considered by many parties, but some reference standards can be made in different regions.

It is understood that some businesses have their own concerns about opening "provisional food counters." Some businesses are concerned that once the fast expired food is thrown into the “pro period counter”, it clearly tells consumers that the food “is about to expire”, then the buyer will be greatly reduced, and doing more promotional activities will not help, it is likely that Some of the goods were completely expired and nobody bought them.

Some businesses also worry that if supermarkets often sell foods that are about to expire, they will make customers think that the business of the business is not good, which may damage the image of the business; and the goods have a unified bar code, if the price of this part of a category of goods is reduced Dealing with another bar code for this part is also troublesome.

For promoting "provisional food counters," Jia Honghai thinks that the difficulty lies in not only that supermarkets have differences in their understanding and ideas, but also that the industrial and commercial departments are different. This is not a statute. It is only making recommendations to supermarkets. Therefore, it is very vigorous. limited.

Experts believe that the issue of food safety cannot be overemphasized. If such an approach can play a role in protecting food safety and is recognized by a large number of consumers, then the relevant state departments should issue some reference standards and take necessary measures. Compulsory measures to promote this practice, safeguarding consumers' right to know and fair choice.