Chinese authorities tighten control on luxury mooncake gifting

With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching, four Chinese authorities are working to curb the sale of overpriced mooncakes.

Overpriced mooncakes generally refer to boxed mooncakes priced over 500 yuan (HK$546).

It involves National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Ministry of Commerce, and State Administration for Market Regulation, according to a statement on Monday.

Since early this year, they have strengthened governance by leveraging industry associations to promote legal compliance among producers and sellers. 

Local departments are expected to effectively address expensive mooncakes by 2025. 

Moving forward, these departments will instruct local authorities to enhance market inspections, rectify issues promptly, increase supervision, and legally address violations, ensuring a favorable market environment and a festive atmosphere.

The products offered by various brands include both traditional and non-traditional mooncakes can offer a wide price range for mooncake box sets, with an affordable lowest option and a high-end set featuring quality and luxury. For example:

• Imperial Patisserie offers mooncake box sets priced from HK$248 to HK$2,888, featuring 44 products. Its Ming Artisan brand for the mainland China market sells mooncake products available both online and offline, with prices ranging from 255 to 389 yuan.
• Traditional brand Likoufu, part of the Guangzhou Restaurant Group, not only introduces innovative flavors such as the Durian Ice Skin Mooncake Gift Box for 228 yuan, but also offers a mastercrafted mooncake gift box which contains 3 flavors, priced at 438 yuan.
• Maxim’s mooncakes include non-traditional options like the panda double-colored ice skin mooncake, priced from HK$128; HK$292 for the Lava Quartet Mooncake with four-flavors package.
• Shangri-La Hotel’s luxury mooncake gift boxes are priced from HK$298.5 for the Hung Tong Mini Lava Egg Custard Mooncakes (8 pieces); HK$2,166 for a mooncake with champagne gift box.
• The Peninsula Boutique Mooncakes range from HK$268 Egg Custard Mooncake (4pieces); HK$3,988 for Supreme Mid-autumn Hamper mooncake set.
• Kee Wah Bakery offers Mini Supreme Golden Lotus Seed Paste Mooncake with Yolk (4pieces) priced at HK$138; HK$340 for a Red Bean Paste Pastry with 15-year-old Mandarin Peel Gift Box (8 pieces).
• Patisserie La Lune features a tangerine peel red bean mooncakes gift box (4 pieces) priced at HK$168; the Mid-autumn edition “Kowloon” Cap Special Boxset priced at HK$980.

ANSON LUK