Seals rule must be heeded, firms warned

Regulations help to address food safety fears among takeout service customers.

Recently, a takeout delivery rider was caught on camera eating from a box of sour and spicy rice noodles on the street in Beijing. Then he put the lid back on and sent it to the customer who had ordered it. The incident raised concerns about takeout food safety on social media.

On April 1, Beijing introduced a set of specifications on food safety for online food and beverage services. It requires that businesses selling takeout food online use nonresealable seals or packaging.

Multiple food and beverage outlets in Beijing have started to use a seal in April, Consumption Daily reported.

Some large chains, such as Haosaozi and Burger King, had used such seals before the introduction of the specifications, according to the newspaper.

Out of 10 food delivery riders interviewed near a residential compound in Beijing's Chaoyang district on April 12, three said they had seen such seals since April 1, while the rest had not, Legal Daily reported.

A representative of food delivery platform Eleme told Consumption Daily that it has urged Beijing-based takeout businesses to use seals in accordance with the new specifications.

In collaboration with Eleme, the Beijing Consumer Association, Haidian district administration for market regulation, Beijing Food and Beverage Industry Association and other relevant organizations have distributed more than 2 million seals among takeout businesses free of charge, Consumption Daily reported.

Takeout businesses are divided over the new requirement. Some expressed a willingness to try using seals and to develop a seal of their own, Consumption Daily reported.

However, others believed it is unnecessary to use a seal. They told Legal Daily that even when a seal is not used, the packaging cannot be restored once it is opened, or the opening of the packaging is stapled or knotted tightly. Some takeout businesses said they do not use a seal to reduce costs.

But the introduction of the specification is a welcome move among consumers.

"Some seals are not easy to open. Sometimes the packaging is torn while the seal is still intact. But this shows that the seals are absolutely safe and cannot be restored," a Beijing consumer told Consumption Daily. "Compared with simply tying a knot, I feel more at ease with seals."

Zhu Danpeng, an analyst specializing in China's food industry, told Consumption Daily that using a seal on takeout packaging provides strong guarantees for all parties.

For the seller, sealing up the food reduces the odds of food safety being compromised during delivery. Consumers can be ensured food safety and enjoy a better dining experience. For delivery riders, the use of a seal makes their work more standardized, and to a certain extent, it can also better protect the appearance and temperature of dishes.

Chen Yinjiang, deputy secretary-general of the China Consumer Protection Law Society, told Legal Daily that takeout businesses must use seals if the requirement is made a regulation by the local authorities where they are based. If the local authorities only advocate that such a seal be used, then businesses can decide according to their own situation.

"If a takeout business has already adopted sealed packaging, which is capable of ensuring the safety of takeouts, there would be no need to use a seal that would cost more. Otherwise, not only would that be inconsistent with the resources conservation and environmentally friendly consumption style advocated by the country, but also create unnecessary costs," Chen said.

Zhu Xiaojuan, deputy secretary-general of the China Commercial Law Society, told Legal Daily that takeout businesses should realize that using seals protects themselves.

"If used well, the seal can also become a carrier of brand influence for takeout businesses. They can, for example, print their logos and some kind words on the seal, which can help to attract and retain consumers," Zhu Xiaojuan said.