"Renqing moon cake" becomes a "sweet burden"?

——Mooncake Waste Observation on Mid-Autumn Festival

  Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 30th, title: "Human Love Mooncakes" Become a "Sweet Burden"?

——Mooncake Waste Observation on Mid-Autumn Festival

  Xinhua News Agency reporters Tai Sicong, Lu Chang, and Wu Wenxu

  The upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival is an important traditional festival that has entered the normalized epidemic prevention and control stage and consumption has gradually recovered. Many consumers and companies purchase and customize gift box mooncakes long in advance, and use the exclusive holiday "currency" to visit relatives and friends and maintain customer relations.

However, the reporter's investigation before the Mid-Autumn Festival found that with the increasing number of "human love moon cakes", the moon cakes "buy too much, can not be delivered, and cannot be eaten" have caused many people to bear a "sweet burden" and become a wasteful link. A part that cannot be underestimated.

"Buy too much, can't finish it, can't eat it"

  "Small biscuits are like chewing the moon, with crisp and glutinous rice in it." Moon cakes are not only an indispensable food for Mid-Autumn Festival reunion, but also a necessary gift for visiting relatives and friends during the festival.

According to the "2019 China Mooncake Market and Consumer Behavior Research Report" released by iiMedia Consulting, my country's mooncake output last year was about 364,000 tons, with a sales volume of 1.38 billion, almost one person.

Many interviewees said that they had purchased too many mooncakes and received a lot of mooncakes, but they actually had very limited food.

  Wang Li, who lives in Fengtai District, Beijing, faced this problem.

As the wedding was to be held at the end of the year, the wedding banquet hotel used the Mid-Autumn Festival as a reason to sign the wedding banquet venue and gave away 6,000 yuan worth of moon cakes, a total of 34 boxes.

"In addition, my parents' unit also sent out a box, so many mooncakes can't be delivered even if they can be eaten."

  By the end of September, the gift boxes of moon cakes in Li Wei's home had been piled up into a "hill." Most of these moon cakes were sent by the cooperative enterprises of her company, and some of them had not even opened the express package.

“Many gift boxes are custom-made with company logos, so they can’t be transferred to others.” Li Wei said that he and his family felt that mooncakes were too sweet and didn’t like to eat them. They only shared them for the festive atmosphere.

"It's a pity to throw it away, it takes up a lot of space if you don't throw it away." The customer's "goodwill" said it became a burden.

  The "2019 China Mooncake Market and Consumer Behavior Research Report" shows that last year, Chinese consumers were willing to buy mooncakes as much as 60.4%, of which more than one-third of those who plan to buy mooncakes as gifts, but do not plan to buy mooncakes Among them, nearly half of them also received moon cakes on the Mid-Autumn Festival because of gifts from companies or friends.

  The "imbalance" between supply and demand may become more obvious during the Mid-Autumn Festival this year.

The reporter's investigation found that due to the impact of the epidemic, the overall performance of the food industry in the first half of the year was sluggish. The sales pressure of pastry products was more obvious due to their non-rigid demand attributes. Many pastry companies regarded this year's Mid-Autumn Festival as an excellent opportunity for companies to make up for their losses. Increased the output of moon cakes.

Excessive "consumption" and poor digestion

  In recent years, from a large number of netizens’ controversy over the “Five-Ren Mooncake” to the ridicule of the “dark cuisine” of mooncakes in college cafeterias, all have reflected the gradual changes in people’s attitudes towards mooncakes, a traditional delicacy. What are the reasons?

The reporter conducted an interview.

  ——High oil and sugar make some consumers discouraged.

In terms of taste enthusiasm, traditional egg yolks, bean paste, lotus paste, etc. are the first choices for consumers to buy and eat, but the drawback is that moon cakes have higher sugar and oil content.

Wang Yi, director of the Department of Food Therapy and Nutrition of Guang'anmen Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, said that moon cakes contain more oil and sucrose. Even if they are low-fat and low-sugar, they still have flour and other ingredients. Excessive consumption can easily cause stomach fullness, bloating, and indigestion. Elderly people and children Not to eat more.

  ——Wonderful flavors are used to "funny".

The reporter's investigation found that some merchants produced and sold moon cakes that did not meet the public's taste in order to gain attention.

On an e-commerce platform, a funny moon cake gift box with four flavors of "leeks, coriander, spicy strips, and pork intestine" priced at about 60 yuan has attracted attention.

Some consumers said that the main reason for buying this mooncake is to give it to a friend "just a joke."

The reporter combed and found that in recent years, the taste of moon cakes has become more and more popular. Instant noodles, sauerkraut, hawthorn, snail noodles and other flavors of moon cakes have emerged one after another.

An insider in the catering industry said that this grandstanding approach is another bad "variety" after the "overpacking" of mooncakes.

Flavor innovations are frequent and few people actually eat it.

  -It is shoddy and can only be "sent" into the trash can in the end.

The Beijing Municipal Administration of Market Supervision has recently carried out food safety supervision and sampling inspections on moon cake products produced and operated by large supermarkets, manufacturing enterprises, and catering units in the city. A total of 236 batches of moon cakes were supervised, and two batches were unqualified. destroy.

Insiders pointed out that the problems found in the moon cake sampling process mainly involve the use of food additives beyond the scope or limit, excessive microorganisms, unqualified quality indicators, and irregular labels.

Less favourable "sale", please return "true colors" to moon cakes

  Nowadays, moon cakes have almost become social tools.

The interviewed experts said that manufacturers, merchants, and consumers should rationally think about the true meaning of moon cakes and return the "natural color" to moon cakes.

  —— Mooncakes can also imitate "small portions", and mooncakes can also be healthier.

In the context of practicing the "CD Action" and rejecting food waste, many catering companies have introduced "small dishes". Moon cakes can also be "smaller" to reduce waste.

It is understood that many moon cakes have been made "small" this year.

Some consumers said that if moon cake manufacturers can make more attempts in "reducing weight, sugar, and oil" in the future, they might get more positive feedback on moon cakes.

  -Less "sale" of favors, more "fresh" contacts.

Song Yu, an assistant researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that although the custom of giving mooncakes has long been formed, the custom has changed a bit now. From the emphasis on emotional "alienation" to the form, the gift function has been continuously enlarged.

  ——Consume rationally and avoid waste.

The interviewed experts said that during the first Mid-Autumn Festival after consumption rebounded, many consumers would inevitably exhibit “retaliatory consumption” behaviors. Consumers are advised to consume rationally and avoid waste.

From an individual point of view, it is necessary to cultivate the habit of saving, and from a social point of view, it is necessary to create an atmosphere of shame for waste and glory of saving.

At the same time, when buying moon cakes, you must carefully check the production details of various products to avoid buying "three no" products or counterfeit products.