Beijing is an exciting city! Stay updated with our weekend summary of the latest news.
City Reaffirms Ban on “Fresh Lights”
The Beijing Municipal Market Supervision Administration has recently released the “Reminders and Warnings on the Strict Prohibition of the Use of ‘Fresh Lights’” (《关于严禁使用“生鲜灯”的提醒告诫书》), targeting market and food sales operators to ensure proper regulation of the fresh food sales market and safeguard consumer rights. The Reminders explicitly forbid using lighting in business settings that may mislead customers' sensory assessment of food quality.
The term “fresh lights” or “fresh lamps” (生鲜灯) refers to deceptive lighting practices that modify the color or temperature of light sources or employ other methods to create a false impression of freshness, thus misleading consumers during purchases. While “fresh lights” are already illegal, some fresh food vendors still utilize these improper lighting methods.
Consequently, authorities have issued the following guidelines:
- Establishments selling or displaying fresh food must use white lighting.
- The purchase and use of lighting labeled with "fresh light," "red color," and "beauty" that alters the actual sensory properties of fresh products is strictly prohibited.
- The use of colored light sources such as red, green, blue, and yellow, as well as adjustable light sources that can change color temperature, is prohibited.
- It is forbidden to use colored lampshades, colored plastic bags, films, or cellophane that alter the color of the light.
- The installation of large colored enclosures or background boards in fresh product display areas, such as bright red backgrounds in meat sections, is prohibited.
- The use of colored light sources or adjustable light sources in refrigerators and display cases is also banned.
- Those involved in selling cooked foods, pastries, and cold vegetables are reminded not to use lighting that may misrepresent the true sensory characteristics of the food.
Operators found violating the “Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Quality and Safety in the Market Sales of Edible Agricultural Products” (《食用农产品市场销售质量安全监督管理办法》) will be required to correct the issue and receive a warning at the county level or higher. Non-compliance may result in fines ranging from RMB 5,000 to RMB 30,000.
Market regulation authorities have ramped up inspections on this matter, and consumers are advised to be vigilant about the environment in which they buy fresh produce.
Pets Can Travel Independently with New Train Service
Following a successful trial, China Railway Express has launched its “Pet Travel” (爱宠行) service, which offers two options for pet transportation: Accompanied Pet Travel (携宠出行) and Solo Pet Travel (爱宠单独行).
The Pet Travel service is designed for healthy domesticated cats and dogs with the following specifications:
- Weight: ≤ 15kg
- Shoulder Height: ≤ 40cm
- Length: ≤ 52cm
This service is not suitable for aggressive, sick, pregnant, or very young pets.
Accompanied Pet Travel (携宠出行)
This option is available to passengers with train tickets, who can utilize the Pet Transport (宠物托运) feature on the Railway 12306 (铁路12306) mini program to check ticket availability and pet transportation slots. Trains that allow pet transport are marked with the character “宠.” Passengers can book tickets online and arrange pet transport for the same journey. Reservations for the next day can be made before noon, while those for the following day can be made from noon onward. Each traveler may transport up to two eligible pets on the same train.
Solo Pet Travel (爱宠单独行)
This service is aimed at individuals without tickets. Customers can reserve a space for their pet by providing the required pet information and photos via the “China Railway Express” (中铁快运) WeChat mini program two to five days before the check-in date. Each customer is limited to one pet per trip. After successfully booking, owners must take their pet, valid ID, a valid animal quarantine certificate, and a valid pet carrier to the China Railway Express Business Department at the departure high-speed railway station to complete the shipping process. Upon the train's arrival, customers can pick up their pet as directed via a notification text from China Railway Express.
During travel, pets are kept in a transport container within the high-speed rail express compartment of the train, separate from the passenger area, thus preventing pet hair, odors, and noise from affecting the train's interior environment.
To enhance service quality, China Railway Express has improved the pet transport containers. Enhancements include built-in air circulation, oxygen level monitoring, temperature and humidity control, noise reduction, and deodorizing features, along with an intelligent water addition sensor, night vision monitoring, and remote ventilation.
Staff will monitor pet conditions via the pet transport box surveillance system and will perform routine checks every few
Beijing is a vibrant city! Stay updated with our weekend summary of the latest news.
