A famous supermarket chain in China has paid out 8.8 million yuan (US$1.2 million) in compensation to customers following online complaints about the hygiene of their rolling dough dish.
Pang Dong Lai’s payout astounded many but also attracted praise for showing a commitment to consumer rights. Originating in the northern inland province of Henan, the supermarket chain has established a national reputation for positive treatment of its employees and customers. “I don’t want to let our customers down.
When customers are disappointed, it feels like a knife cutting into my heart,” said Pang Dong Lai’s president and founder, Yu Donglai. However, their reputation took a sharp turn on the evening of June 25 when a customer reported on Douyin that the food processing environment for rolling dough at a Pang Dong Lai outlet in Xinxiang in Henan was unsanitary. A traditional snack known for its chewy and soft texture, rolling dough is made by fermenting dough to create noodles that are typically served with soy sauce, vinegar and chili.
According to the Douyin video, at the offending Pang Dong Lai outlet raw materials for making rolling dough were stored in rusty iron barrels and dirty plastic buckets haphazardly placed on the floor. The dough was also kept in an uncovered plastic container surrounded by beverage bottles and cardboard, with staff wearing non-sanitised clothing. As controversy raged, Pang Dong Lai released the results of an investigation into the matter on the.
