On December 8th, as one of the pivotal events during the national observance of the 2023 National Food Safety Awareness Week, the China Food Consumer Conference was successfully held in Beijing. The event saw the participation of notable figures including Fan Hongping, Director of the Department of Food Safety Supervision & Management at the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR), Han Bing, Director of Inspection Division 4 of the SAMR's Law Enforcement and Inspection Bureau, as well as representatives from provincial and municipal local supervisory agencies: Qiu Congqian, Inspector of the Food Circulation Division at the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, Zhao Qiusheng, Head of the Inspection Division at the Shanxi Administration for Market Regulation, Cai Zhiliang, Level 2 Researcher of the Food Circulation Division at the Zhejiang Administration for Market Regulation, Cheng Feng, a senior member of the Food Circulation Department at the Hubei Administration for Market Regulation, Jiang Xiaoping, Level 1 Researcher of the Special Food Department at the Hunan Administration for Market Regulation, Wang Chao, Director of the Food Operation Department at the Sichuan Administration for Market Regulation, Wu Zheng, a senior member of the Food Department at the Guangdong Administration for Market Regulation, Mao Xian, Head of the Catering Supervision Section at the Deyang Municipal Administration for Market Regulation in Sichuan Province. The conference also welcomed esteemed industry experts such as Zhang Yanfang, Professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and President of the China Consumer Rights Protection Law Institute, Sun Juanjuan, researcher at the Collaborative Innovation Centre for Food Safety Governance at Renmin University of China, and over a hundred representatives from various platforms, food production and business enterprises, as well as consumer representatives. They engaged in interactive discussions, exploring key plans and strategies for food safety, all of which will contribute to the healthy development of the consumer market. The meeting was expertly moderated by Li Liangqiu, Executive Vice President of the CNHFA, and attended by Bian Zhenjia, President of the CNHFA.

The China Food Consumer Conference is consumer-centric and promotes engagement with consumers through informative columns such as “Daily Q&A for Nutrition and Health”, “Health Food Positive Energy” ,and “Nutritional Interpreter”. Our mission is to construct a consumer-focused nutrition and health food industry. This conference is a joint effort by the CNHFA and TaoTian Group, with a focus on the latest trends in food consumption and emerging channels. Enterprises bear the primary responsibility for ensuring consumer safety through innovative technologies and services.

Bian Zhenjia, President of the CNHFA, emphasized that in recent years, China's economic and social development has significantly transformed the landscape of social consumption. However, regardless of changes in consumption trends and innovative channels, food safety remains a timeless concern. He expressed optimism about how regulators, manufacturers, and consumers can collectively contribute more to the fields of nutrition and health through continued communication.

Fan Hongping, Director of the Department of Food Safety Supervision and Management at the SAMR, shared four key points. First, he stressed the importance of advocating a societal trend towards thrift and vigorously promoting the high-quality development of the food industry. Second, he urged the establishment of a steadfast belief in food safety to enhance public awareness of its importance. Third, he emphasized the need for a responsible work system, consolidating the framework for co-managing food safety. Fourth, he called for continued innovation efforts, inviting all stakeholders to contribute to a new chapter in food safety.

Han Bing, Director of Inspection Division 4 at the SAMR's Law Enforcement and Inspection Bureau, delved into the topic of “Cracking Down on Illegal Food Additives to Ensure Food Safety”. She outlined the work priorities of the “Iron Fist” campaign for 2021-2023 and the work plan for 2024. Han Bing provided a detailed breakdown of ten characteristics of illegal additives, including functional concentration, food dosage forms, added substances, sales processes, sales characteristics, additional processes, substance origins, smuggling ports, online platforms, and promotional activities.

Zhang Yanfang, Professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and President of the China Consumer Rights Protection Law Institute, shared her insights on Food Safety and Corporate Responsibility. Zhang introduced the existing regulatory system and standards for food safety, highlighting the primary challenges faced by enterprises. She emphasized that technological innovation, consumer awareness, globalization, and regulatory adjustments would significantly impact food safety management.

Liu Nan, Vice President, Taotian Group

Kui Gaowa, General Manager of Consumer Experience Centre for Supermarket Business, Taotian Group

Liu Nan, Vice President of Taotian Group, and Kui Gaowa, General Manager of Taotian Group's Consumer Experience Centre for Supermarket Business, offered their perspectives from the platform's point of view. They focused on the platform's commitment to ensuring food safety and presented Taotian's report on the assured food consumption experience.

Currently, China's food consumption has entered a phase of high-quality development, with consumer demand shifting from mere safety to a focus on nutritious and healthy eating. Sun Juanjuan, a researcher at the Collaborative Innovation Centre for Food Safety Governance at Renmin University of China, highlighted the key findings from the Tmall Supermarket Assured Consumption White Paper.

To better understand consumer needs, Taotian Group unveiled the Tmall Supermarket Assured Consumption White Paper during the event.

During the roundtable forum titled “How Can Food Safety Be Enhanced in Light of New Consumption Trends”, Qiu Congqian, Market Inspector of the Food Operation Department at the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation, Jin Juanyi, Legal Director of the Supermarket Business Development Centre at Taotian Group, Ma Shijie, Senior Manager of the Quality Department at Nestlé China, and Li Xiuhua, Consumer Representative, shared their perspectives on food consumption oversight, platform support, enterprise self-regulation, and consumer concerns. Li Xiuhua elaborated on topics such as food consumption regulation, platform assistance, enterprise self-regulation, and consumer concerns. They collectively believe that through more standardized supervision and management by regulators, stringent controls by sales platforms, enterprises taking self-responsibility, and consumers acquiring scientific knowledge, a system of social co-governance can be established to collectively safeguard food safety.

The CNHFA will actively serve as a platform, facilitating communication and employing societal resources to disseminate scientific knowledge about nutrition and health food. This will guide consumers toward informed and rational choices.

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