It keeps what’s inside a mystery until you open it. There are usually toys in mystery boxes; but now, food has been added to the list.
Recently, the trend of “leftover mystery boxes” has become popular in many Chinese cities such as Beijing, Nanjing and Chengdu. Stores pack boxes full of unsold food or food nearing its expiration date at low prices.
“We make the leftover mystery boxes available to buy at the end of the day,” Wu Tian, a staff member at a convenience chain store in Beijing, told China Daily. The food, such as milk, bread and sandwiches, is sold at about half the original price and is usually sold out quickly. Many bakeries have also joined the “mystery box club”.
Due to their low price, leftover mystery boxes “are very promising as a new business mode” and can attract more consumers, Hong Yong, an expert at the Ministry of Commerce, told China Daily. “In addition, they follow the concept of zero-waste and environmental protection.”
In 2021, the total amount of food waste in China reached 160 million tons, with an average of 93 grams per meal per person, China Food Newspaper reported. Since the passage of China’s Anti-Food Waste Law in April 2021, people’s awareness of food waste reduction has increased. Leftover mystery boxes can be an effective way for people to deal with food waste.
However, some people have raised food security concerns. If consumers buy a food mystery box for their breakfast the next morning, even if the food looks fine at the moment, it may have gone bad overnight. Moreover, food made in the store, such as bread, isn’t labeled with the production date in many cases, according to China Consumer News. If a consumer unpacks a mystery box and discovers that the food tastes bad or has already passed the last date, then it will be difficult for them to protect their rights, such as getting money back.
Only by considering both food safety and consumer rights can mystery blind boxes achieve a win-win situation for both buyers and sellers, commented China Youth Daily.
43. What leads to the rise of the trend of “leftover mystery boxes”?
A.Stores make the leftover mystery boxes available at night. |
B.People feel like such food as milk and bread more attractive. |
C.It offers customers lower prices for those unsold food. |
D.It goes against the concept of zero-waste and environmental protection. |
44. The underlined word “
expiration” in the 2nd paragraph is closest in meaning to
.
A.ending | B.producing | C.purchasing | D.selling |
45. Why are some people worried about customers buying a food mystery box?
A.Because the food has gone bad when it’s bought. |
B.Because customers’ rights are hard to protect. |
C.Because the production dates are not clear enough. |
D.Because customers cannot get a refund in many cases. |
46. What’s the most suitable title for this passage?
A.Concerns Over Food Security | B.Mystery Boxes of Leftover |
C.A Solution to Food Waste | D.A Win-win Situation |