"Food leftovers" are cheap and safe
"Cabbage price" and "stocking by catty"...Recently, on some e-commerce platforms, various "leftover foods" such as ham heads and bread sides are very popular.
These "leftover foods" made of fragmentary materials produced in the food processing process cannot be sold as normal products due to irregular shapes, and the price is lower, while the materials and quality are the same as normal products, which makes many consumers love them. add.
However, some consumers have also reported that there are various problems with the "leftover food" sold by some merchants, such as low quality and high price, substandard food, and non-compliance with food safety regulations.
It is understood that some bakeries and food factories often collect the "little bits and corners" in the processing process and sell them at low prices.
In this regard, a practitioner said: "Like toast bread, the appearance is not neat, and the taste is a bit hard, but some consumers think the taste is not bad. We cut it and sell it at a cheaper price, and customers get benefits. , we also avoid waste.”
On the e-commerce platform, the categories of "leftover food" are more abundant: dried meat slices, beef jerky sides, hickory nut kernels, fruit skin chips... There are indeed many high-quality and cheap products.
However, compared with offline stores, buying "leftover food" online has some more variables.
The price of some "leftover food" is almost the same as that of normal products, but the merchants highlight the characteristics of large quantity and affordable in the promotional language, but they manipulate the price.
The reporter's investigation found that the price of a broken biscuit was 16 yuan per catty, while its normal product was 18 yuan.
Some buyers commented: "When you buy, you must compare carefully. Don't be misled by the merchants. The difference between leftovers and genuine products is only two yuan. Why not buy genuine products?" It is even more expensive than normal products, which makes consumers feel puzzled.
"Some consumers, especially some young people, do not necessarily buy 'leftover food' to save money, but to pursue a fresh consumption experience, and do not necessarily compare prices seriously. Some merchants have grasped this point and highlighted it in product introductions. The promotion of descriptions such as "large volume and affordable" is to attract traffic and generate sales." Zheng Tong, a reader in Zaoyang City, Hubei, said in a letter.
There are also some merchants selling "three no products" and defective products under the banner of operating "leftover food".
Reader Mr. Song once bought a "tiger skin cake side" on a certain platform.
He said that tiger skin cakes usually have clear lines and a strong egg fragrance. "This product tastes like ordinary cakes, as if ordinary cakes and tiger skin cakes are mixed together." Mr. Song and After negotiating with the merchants, the merchants said that the leftover materials themselves are fragments produced in the production process, and cannot be required by the standard of genuine products.
Mr. Song said: "'Small leftover food' is only irregular in appearance, but the taste and quality should be the same as genuine products. Some businesses deliberately use substandard food as 'leftover food' to deceive consumers."
The reporter bought a few pieces of "leftover food" and found that some products were packaged very crudely, without even necessary information such as production address and production date.
For example, a certain dried mango leftover product is only packed in a transparent plastic bag without a trademark. There is only a white piece of paper marked with the production date and shelf life, etc. There is no information such as the producer or production address, and the source is very unknown. Difficult to tell.
An employee in the food industry said that in order to control costs, manufacturers generally minimize the generation of leftovers, and a large part of the leftovers will be recycled as raw materials and then made into other products. Most of the "leftover foods" currently on the market are out through informal channels.
"When encountering such a large number of 'leftover food' with unknown sources and unknown collection methods, it is recommended that everyone be vigilant and buy carefully." The practitioner said.
In response to various problems in "leftover food", the Consumer Protection Committee of Jiangsu Province reminds consumers that when purchasing on-site "leftover food", they should ask clearly about the production and ingredient information of the food to avoid buying "three no products".
When shopping online, it is even more important to check the shelf life, look for food sources and other relevant information, and look for regular operators with complete licenses, clear brands, and guaranteed after-sales.
Wang Zhongqin, a lawyer at Jinglu Law Firm, said: “Consumers should pay attention to retaining evidence, such as payment records, sales receipts or invoices, and product packaging or product information marked on the container when the product is sold. If you find that your legal rights have been damaged, Complaints and reports should be made to relevant departments in a timely manner.”
In their letters, some consumers suggested that both supervision and industry self-discipline should be used to guide the production and operation of "leftover food" into a standardized track.
Feng Kuan, a reader in Yangquan City, Shanxi Province, said that the sales entities of "leftover food" sold offline are generally relatively clear. It is recommended that relevant departments strengthen supervision measures and conduct spot checks from time to time to ensure food safety.
On the other hand, there are many and complex online sales entities, so it is necessary for the e-commerce platform to control the entry barriers, do a good job in the qualification review of merchants, handle consumer complaints and reports in a timely manner, and establish a food safety early warning mechanism through rich data resources to maintain food safety. Consumer Rights.
"There is a process of gradual improvement in the management and regulation of a new type of business form. On the one hand, producers and operators of 'leftover food' should abide by the relevant provisions of the Food Safety Law. On the other hand, it is also recommended that relevant departments and industry associations Explore targeted standards and norms, avoid management blind spots, let consumers get benefits, and help businesses reduce waste.” said Chen Xiaohang, a reader in Suzhou, Jiangsu.