China to curb overpackaging, overpricing of festival foods

BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- China announced Wednesday that it would launch a crackdown on overpackaging and overpricing of festival delicacies, such as mooncakes and hairy crabs, as the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches.

During the two-month campaign, the State Administration for Market Regulation will provide administrative guidance for mooncake producers and step up training for law enforcement regarding excessive packaging.

While increasing spot checks on mooncake producers and retailers, market regulators will pay special attention to luxury gifts produced by restaurants in the name of designing "cultural and creative products" and toughen punishment for irregularities, the administration said.

Regulators will enhance the monitoring of online transactions and ensure that overpackaged goods are blacklisted for online retailing, said the administration.

Efforts will also go into promoting simple and low-carbon package design and restoring traditional cultural values in festival consumption.

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Sept. 10 this year. It is a traditional festival usually marked by family reunions, full-moon viewing, and the consumption of mooncakes. The hairy crab is also a mid-autumn delicacy throughout China, as it is in season then.