Near-expired food bargain sales the latest trend in China as Beijing’s anti-waste drive picks up

Food near its expiration date selling at a discount was once mainly bought by the elderly, but it is increasingly common among young Chinese people

The trend has grown in popularity since the Chinese government passed anti-food waste laws

Reading Time:3 minutes

As Beijing cracks down on food waste, young people are increasingly turning to discounted food approaching it’s expiry date. Photo: Artwork

Published: 10:00am, 25 May 2021Updated: 11:43am, 25 May 2021

Two years ago, Guangzhou student Lily bought a box of soy milk close to its expiration date at one-third of its original price.

She was ecstatic with the deal and shared it with a friend, but the friend said eating food near the expiration date was a health risk. After this, Lily avoided telling people about such bargains, fearing they might think of her as excessively frugal.

But she continued to purchase near expired food at reduced prices. Despite keeping her bargain shopping from friends, she established an online community of more than 57,000 people, who share tips on buying near-expired food every day.

“I see online that lots of people buy similar foods, and I get reassured that there‘s nothing wrong with this behaviour,” she said.

It’s a trend that has gained more traction in recent years, especially since China passed a new Anti-Food Waste Law in April.

It declared that restaurants that “induce or mislead” customers into ordering excessively will be fined. The law also banned “eating shows” or “competitive eaters” on social media.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x