Discounted blind food box gains popularity among China's Gen-Zers

Discounted blind food boxes, an emerging trend in China, have captured the hearts of many Gen-Zers in the country, as this innovative choice allows consumers to enjoy food at a relatively low price while reducing food waste.

Consumers don't know what specific food will be inside until they open the box, which makes the blind box enticing. This innovative approach can help reduce food waste in the catering industry, and satisfy consumers' curiosity.

A worker at a bakery in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province prepares discounted blind boxes. (Photo/Lin Bo)

"I bought a blind box from a bakery this time. Priced at 15.9 yuan (about $2.21), it includes three kinds of bread," said a buyer surnamed Li. Born in the 2000s, she said the bread in the discounted blind box tastes pretty much the same as the one without discount, with the main difference being that the box offers only limited choices of bread.

“Discounted blind food boxes are mostly purchased by young people around the age of 20 who are looking for good value and a reasonable price," said a post-95s bakery owner surnamed Ren in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province. According to Ren, since the bakery mainly sells freshly baked products, there are inevitably some excess products.

"The introduction of 'leftover food blind boxes' aims to reduce waste," Ren said, adding that his store offers about three blind boxes every day, which often sell out quickly.

Photo shows baked goods inside a discounted blind box bought by a consumer surnamed Li. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee)

Apart from Ningbo, several other Chinese cities such as Hangzhou and Shanghai have launched this service, offering blind boxes such as baked goods, beverages, light meals and snacks. The products are usually priced at a 60 or 70 percent discount.