【People's Livelihood Investigation Bureau】
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China News Service, March 26 (China News reporter Zuo Yukun) "Are you afraid that I can see the production date clearly?" Many consumers have this feeling when shopping in shopping malls and supermarkets. Some products are packaged The production date on the bag is unclear or hard to find, making shopping not only expensive but also a test of your eyesight.
"Every time I buy something in the supermarket, I have to search over and over again to find the production date. The ones printed in black are better, especially some of the white fonts with very thin fonts, which are printed very lightly and are pressed on the pictures, so they are particularly difficult to find." Do you also have the experience of looking carefully for "treasure appraisers" when it comes to "hide-and-seek" production dates?
Some products still have production dates printed unclearly.
Generally speaking, the name of the product, ingredient list, manufacturer's address and other information have fixed positions on the packaging, making them very clear and easy to find. The most "elusive" thing is the production date of the product, because as the production time changes constantly, it is often printed or spray-printed separately by merchants in various ways, supplemented by "see the packaging bag", "see the bottle" and "see the seal" "Where" and other prompts.
my country's "National Food Safety Standard General Principles for Prepackaged Food Labeling" (GB7718-2011) stipulates that the production date and shelf life of prepackaged foods should be clearly marked. If the date is marked in the form of "see a certain part of the packaging", the specific part of the packaging should be marked. Date markings may not be additionally affixed, reprinted or tampered with.
In addition, according to regulations, prepackaged food labels should be clear, eye-catching, and durable, and should be easy for consumers to identify and read when purchasing. However, merchants seem to have different understandings of the requirements of “clear, eye-catching, and lasting”.
A reporter from Sino-Singapore Finance found that the production date markings on most products, especially products from well-known companies, are very standardized and easy to find. You can find the specific location by scanning the product packaging. However, it is true that the production date on the outer packaging of some products is "invisible", or the printing position is too random.
The production date is more conspicuous and easier to find. Photo by Zuo Yukun, China News Service
For example, in the "top students" where the production date is printed, there are two methods. One is to print the production date and "best before this date" directly on the bottom of the packaging box in an eye-catching location, which makes it very clear to consumers. The second is to leave a blank space in a fixed position of the packaging, and print the production date in larger and bold colors. At the same time, the shelf life is separated from the manufacturer's information and printed independently next to the production date, which is also easy for consumers to judge.
The production date is relatively hidden and difficult to find. Photo by Zuo Yukun, China News Service
Products with unclear printing can be mainly divided into two situations. First, the printed fonts are thin and light in color, which are often easily confused with the color of the packaging bag itself, and become blurry and difficult to read after repeated rubbing. The second is to print a transparent raised date on a transparent bottle/can. Although the printing is very strong, it is colorless and relatively hidden. If the position is not known in advance, it often needs to be flipped several times to a specific angle and light. See.
"We have to change the position of the goods according to the expiration date every day. Some brands of expired goods can be returned, so it can be said that the production date of the goods needs to be checked every day." Ms. Yang, who runs a community supermarket, is concerned about the production date. I am deeply touched by the printing problem.
She told reporters that in fact, the production date printing problem has been greatly improved in recent years. In the past, more merchants would deliberately print in “nooks and crannies” that are particularly hard to find, and they would use inkjet coding that could easily be rubbed off, making it easy for expired food to circulate in the market for a long time.
It is illegal to print the production date clearly
The "Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China" stipulates that labels and instructions for food and food additives should be clear and obvious, and matters such as production date and shelf life should be clearly marked and easily identifiable. The "Product Quality Law of the People's Republic of China" also clarifies that products with a limited use period should clearly indicate the production date and safe use period or expiration date in a prominent position.
In order to prevent the use of font size to mislead consumers, the "National Food Safety Standard General Principles for Prepackaged Food Labeling" has long stipulated that when the maximum surface area of a prepackaged food package or packaging container is greater than 35cm2, it is mandatory to label the text, The height of symbols and numbers shall not be less than 1.8mm.
The production date printing position of most products of the same type is relatively fixed. Photo provided by interviewee
“The state has very strict requirements for food packaging, but some companies and unscrupulous traders, in order to avoid risks and reduce returns, use vague and hidden tricks, making it difficult for consumers to see the expiration date of the product when purchasing, which is illegal. behavior." Zhu Danpeng, a Chinese food industry analyst, told reporters.
He specifically emphasized that it is not illegal only if consumers cannot see the production date clearly and have serious consequences after eating it, but if the printing is unclear, it is a substandard product and has violated national laws and relevant regulations.
"Currently, some of our relevant laws and regulations have not been publicized in place, and consumers have not clearly understood their legitimate rights and interests. The next step is to update and refine relevant regulations, as well as inform consumers. space to match the needs and demands of consumers." Zhu Danpeng said.
From this point of view, what the standard stipulates is only the "bottom line". Whether you are willing to provide consumers with a clearer and more eye-catching presentation method based on the minimum standard requirements, consciously value the consumer's shopping experience, and respect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers is also An important manifestation of the enterprise's conscious responsibility.
"Nowadays, laser coding is basically used, which has a long retention time and a relatively fixed position. Snack packaging of big brands will basically leave a blank space for printing; for vacuum packaging, it is usually printed on the upper right corner of the front or back of the package. "Ms. Yang introduced.
She also shared some tips for consumers to find the production date. For example, because the production date is printed at the last step of packaging, it is usually printed at the last step of packaging, such as the seal, middle seal or bottle cap. "If you want to spray it on the packaging or bottle, you need to add positioning, which will be more expensive for the merchants." (End)