Recently, the national standard for "Restrictions on Excessive Packaging of Fresh Edible Agricultural Products" has been implemented. This will strengthen the entire chain management of excessive packaging and guide producers and operators of fresh edible agricultural products towards moderate and rational packaging by providing a basis for enforcement and support.
The standard specifies the methods and technical indicators for determining whether fresh edible agricultural products such as vegetables (including edible fungi), fruits, meat, aquatic products, and eggs are excessively packaged. Firstly, it sets a 10%-25% upper limit on packaging void rates for different types and weights of products. Secondly, it stipulates that vegetables (including edible fungi) and eggs should not exceed three layers of packaging, while fruits, meat, and aquatic products should not exceed four layers. Thirdly, it clarifies that the cost of packaging in relation to the sales price should not exceed 20%, and for strawberries, cherries, bayberries, loquats, meat, aquatic products, and eggs priced above 100 CNY, it should not exceed 15%.
Yao Weirong, director of the Food Safety and Quality Control Research Center at Jiangnan University and participant in drafting this standard, explained that one could simply determine whether a product is excessively packaged by examining the value of the packaging materials, counting the number of packaging layers, measuring or estimating the volume of the outer packaging, and inquiring about the cost of packaging materials relative to the sales price.
Some consumers purchase fresh edible agricultural products online. For some of these products, while the shelf sales meet the layer requirements, e-commerce sales require additional courier packaging. Does this courier packaging count as sales packaging?
Considering the fresh, perishable nature of fresh edible agricultural products and industry needs, sales packaging in the supply chain of these products also serves functions such as preservation and maintenance of freshness. The standard specifically notes that the definition of "sales packaging" does not include logistics protection packaging or products with functions like cooling, gas regulation, and moisture proofing. Thus, courier packaging is considered logistics packaging and not sales packaging.
Furthermore, to avoid unnecessary impacts on agricultural production and operations or new resource waste, the standard includes a six-month transition period for implementation. It specifies that fresh edible agricultural products produced or imported before the implementation date can be sold until the end of their shelf life.
