The State Administration for Market Regulation publicly solicits opinions on the "Announcement (Draft for Comments) on Strictly Prohibiting the Use of 'Fresh Light'" issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation.

Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) published a statement on its official website, saying that, in order to fully implement and carry out the “four most stringent” requirements for food safety, further regulate the lighting-related conduct used in the sales link of fresh edible agricultural products, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, and in accordance with laws and regulations including the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests and the Measures for the Quality and Safety Supervision and Management of Fresh Edible Agricultural Products in Market Sales, the SAMR has drafted the “Announcement of the State Administration for Market Regulation on Prohibiting the Use of ‘Fresh-Look Lights’” (Draft for Public Comment). The draft is now open to the public for comments. The deadline for feedback is May 7, 2026.

The “Announcement of the State Administration for Market Regulation on Prohibiting the Use of ‘Fresh-Look Lights’” (Draft for Public Comment) shows that, pursuant to the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Consumer Rights and Interests and the Measures for the Quality and Safety Supervision and Management of Fresh Edible Agricultural Products in Market Sales, consumers are entitled to the right to know the true situation of the goods they purchase, use, or the services they receive. When selling fresh edible agricultural products, sellers must not use lighting facilities and so on that clearly change sensory characteristics such as the true color and appearance of the edible agricultural products to mislead consumers’ perception of the sensory characteristics of the goods. Recently, the SAMR has found that some market sellers are still using specific light sources, and lighting facilities and so on that enhance the colors of meat, vegetables, fruits, and other fresh edible agricultural products (hereinafter referred to as “fresh-look lights”), deceiving and misleading consumers regarding their understanding of the true sensory characteristics of edible agricultural products, disrupting market order, and endangering food safety. In order to safeguard consumers’ legitimate rights and interests, the following is hereby announced regarding the relevant matters:

1. The lighting facilities’ color and appearance characteristics used by sellers of edible agricultural products in their business, display, and other premises should be light sources such as white light that do not affect consumers’ perception of the true sensory characteristics of edible agricultural products.

2. Sellers of edible agricultural products shall not use lamp covers with colors, colored plastic bags, and other outer covers of lighting fixtures, large-area colored partitions or backdrops, other facilities of similar purposes, etc., to sell fresh edible agricultural products in a way that affects consumers’ perception of the true sensory characteristics such as true color of edible agricultural products.

3. Organizers of centralized trading markets for edible agricultural products shall, in accordance with the law and regulations, perform their main responsibilities, and carry out normalized management of the use of fresh-illumination facilities by sellers of edible agricultural products entering the market.

4. Sellers of lighting facilities shall not use “fresh-look lights” (“fresh meat lights,” “aquatic products lights,” “fruit lights,” “vegetable lights,” etc.) as a gimmick to carry out sales, nor shall they explicitly or implicitly suggest that lighting facilities will change consumers’ perception of the true sensory characteristics such as true color of edible agricultural products.

We hope that producers and business operators as well as consumers will consciously resist illegal and non-compliant conduct and make scientific and rational purchases and consumption. Social groups are encouraged to actively supervise; if the above-mentioned behaviors are found, they can be reported through the 12315 hotline or the National 12315 platform.

(Official website of the State Administration for Market Regulation)

(Editor: Wang Can, Lin Chen)

Keywords:

                                                            Food