‘Still my first choice’: Hong Kong shoppers chase bargains despite Sam’s Club safety probe
Cross-border consumers say low prices still outweigh concerns after state regulator announced it had summoned company representatives
Many Hong Kong shoppers remain undaunted by a mainland Chinese investigation into the food safety practices of popular supermarket Sam’s Club in neighbouring Shenzhen, saying they will still shop for bargains – but more selectively.
Despite reports that Chinese regulators had summoned the warehouse retailer over “frequent food safety issues” on Monday morning, the superstore remained busy in the afternoon even with rainy weather.
Some Hongkongers who crossed the border to shop were unaware of the news until an SCMP reporter told them.
Adam Chan, a 30-year-old Hong Kong shopper who works in a clerical role, said he was unaware of the investigation but would still visit Shenzhen for groceries until breaches of food safety regulations were confirmed.
He added that local markets were not immune to such safety issues.
In the afternoon, many Hong Kong and mainland consumers were queuing to try samples in the food aisles of Sam’s Club while shopping with their families.