In China, KFC is being accused of causing food waste at a time when the country has major concerns about food safety.
The fast food chain was criticized by the media Chinese state and a national government-supervised consumer watchdog.
They disagree with the company’s new promotion, which allows customers to receive free limited-edition toys with their foods. Such promotion has led to people rushing to buy too much food with no intention of consuming it, according to a statement from the China Consumers Association.
KFC recently presented its campaign to celebrate the 35 years of the franchise in the country. In China, the fried chicken chain is owned by Yum China, a Chinese company listed in the US and Hong Kong, which also operates Taco Bell and Pizza Hut on the Asian mainland.
The KFC promotion gives away a line of baby figurines that appear inside little boxes. Customers never know which figure will appear in the box, so they must keep buying food until the collection is complete. These figurines have become a big trend in China and people often buy packages without knowing what is inside.
Customers who want a chance to get the full set of figurines should buy at least six packs of meals, and many throw away meals they can’t finish.
Some people have even bought more than 100 meals at a time, spending almost 10,500 yuan (about $1,650 dollars) in an attempt to get the full line of figurines.
Of According to the Chinese authorities, this is causing unnecessary food waste due to overbuying. The agency pointed out that China implemented new measures last year to prevent food waste and urged companies to help.
The Chinese association also criticized KFC for, according to them, taking advantage of irrationality of consumers and encourage them to buy more food. The consumer control association said that this goes against public order, good customs and the spirit of the law.
He also urged consumers not to be induced or deceived into excessive consumption.
It should be noted that safety food is one of the most important issues for the Chinese government. Last year, the government of this country released an action plan to encourage people not to order more food than they need and to report restaurants that waste supplies.
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