On May 26th, it was reported that the "snack assassin" in cinemas was named by the China Consumers Association in their analysis of complaints received by consumer organizations nationwide in the first quarter of 2024.
Consumers have reported that when buying popcorn and coke at the cinema, they discovered the prices were significantly higher than expected due to the lack of specific pricing information provided by the businesses.
The China Consumers Association stated that the consumption in the Chinese film market has been steadily recovering in the first quarter of this year. Statistics show that the total number of moviegoers in the first quarter reached 364 million, an 8.15% increase compared to the same period last year. However, the number of related complaints has also risen. The main issues raised by consumers include:
Low-price promotion on movie ticket booking apps, where consumers are misled by lower prices displayed on the app but unavailable when selecting seats.
Encounter with "price assassins" when purchasing snacks at cinemas. For instance, cinemas selling popcorn, coke, and other snacks without clear pricing, leading consumers to discover the high prices only during payment, violating consumers' right to information.
Disputes over ticket refunds at cinemas, where consumers' requests for refunds before watching a movie are rejected by platforms or cinemas, causing disagreements due to perceived unfairness.
Case 1: On January 2, 2024, Ms. Geng filed a complaint with the China Consumers Association. She purchased movie tickets at a cinema in Beijing at the end of 2023. On the day of the movie screening, she bought two popcorns and two cokes at the cinema without clear pricing, totaling 160 yuan. Ms. Geng believed the prices were unreasonably high and suspected foul play. After mediation, Ms. Geng reached a settlement with the cinema.
Case 2: On February 20, 2024, Mr. Guan lodged a complaint with the Consumers Rights Protection Committee in Jimei District, Xiamen. He purchased three movie tickets for around 109 yuan from a tech company in Xiamen through a platform on February 6, 2024. When he tried to collect the tickets at the cinema on February 10, the app malfunctioned, preventing him from retrieving the tickets. He had to repurchase the tickets. Despite multiple attempts to contact customer service, only automated responses were received. Mr. Guan sought a refund. After mediation by the committee, the company agreed to refund him.
According to the Regulations on Clear Pricing and Prohibition of Price Deception issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation, operators must clearly display prices in a prominent manner, indicating the corresponding goods or services. Online traders are prohibited from displaying prices lower on the homepage than on the details page for goods or services.
Cinema operators are required to operate in good faith in accordance with the Regulations on Clear Pricing and Prohibition of Price Deception, to prevent any actions that infringe upon consumers' right to information when selling goods or providing services.
