The story appears on

Page A6

May 31, 2012

GET this page in PDF

Free for subscribers

View shopping cart

Related News

Home » Opinion » Press Notes

Consumers buy foreign baby formula for safety

CONSUMERS buy foreign baby formula for safety

THERE have been reports that foreign brands of milk powder have monopolized the Chinese dairy market and they are three times as expensive as local brands.

Some observers thus criticize consumers of foreign milk powder for worshipping foreign brands.

It's true that foreign milk powder is pricey, but it would be wrong to blame consumers for buying it at a time when a barrage of scandals involving tainted local baby formula has worried young parents.

Besides, market rules dictate that you get what you pay for.

People who have the money to buy better products and services are free to do so. I don't see anything wrong with that.

We can only expect domestic dairy companies to improve their conduct, become more farsighted and improve the quality of their goods for long-term interests, rather than palm off inferior products for immediate gains.

Having a fetish for foreign items isn't part of the Chinese psyche. Chinese endorsement of foreign infant formula should galvanize local dairy firms to reflect on their shortcomings and learn from foreign rivals, such as the best feeding practices and strict quality control. Blaming consumers will get them nowhere.





 

Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.

沪公网安备 31010602000204号

Email this to your friend