From The Chinese Press

The bane of excessive packaging

As Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, fancy and excessive packaging has once again increased the prices of many products, including mooncakes, despite protests from the public and the media. For example, a bottle of Wuliangye baijiu (distilled liquor) with its top and pedestal covered with 180 grams gold costs 290,000 yuan ($44,442), says an article on xinhuanet.com. Excerpts:

Ordinary people cannot even dream of buying high-priced wine, tea and mooncakes even without the exorbitant packaging that increase their prices manyfold. The government has launched repeated crackdowns to rid the market of luxurious packaging, but the trend still flourishes. In fact, it has become even more prevalent during festivals.