Fake imported labels damaging fruit market

Imagine buying what you believe to be premium imported fruits only to discover they're actually locally grown fruits with a hefty price markup. This scenario sometimes happens in fruit markets across China, where domestically grown produce often masquerade as imported, complete with misleading packaging and labels.

For instance, pears grown in Shandong province come wrapped in boxes printed with Japanese characters, South African oranges are relabeled as Australian oranges, and domestically grown grapes are sold at 10 times their normal price when they bear a foreign tag. Shockingly, these "imported fruit" labels can be purchased online for just a few fen each.

Imported fruits are marketed as "luxury products", highlighting their unique flavors, health benefits, and exotic or rare qualities. Many consumers, drawn to these supposed premium qualities, are willing to pay extra for them. But as investigations by China Central Television have revealed, much of these highly priced fruits are no different than the domestic varieties available at a fraction of the cost. The motivation behind this deception is extra profit. A mere "imported" label creates an illusion of luxurious product that unscrupulous vendors exploit to boost prices by 50-300 percent.