Recently, a hard-core consumer promotion measure in Renhuai City, Guizhou Province has caused heated discussions among netizens. According to the "Special Action Plan for Promoting Consumption of China's "Core Production Area of China's Shoke-flavored Liquor ( Renhuai )·Help Business and Benefiting the People" issued by the Renhuai Municipal Government Office: If you spend more than 1,000 yuan in designated catering institutions, you can purchase 1 bottle of Kweichow Moutai Liquor at the market guide price of 1,499 yuan to open a bottle of drinking on site, or buy 2 bottles of "Renhuai 1935". Is this promotional measure real? On the morning of June 30, a reporter from Upstream News (reporter email [email protected]) verified with relevant departments and merchants and found that the relevant documents had deleted the description that "you can buy Moutai for 1,499 yuan for consumption of 1,000 yuan, and drink it on site." However, Renhuai Municipal Bureau of Industry and Commerce stated that it was true. However, the relevant merchants said that they have not received any notice yet and consumers cannot buy Moutai at 1,499 yuan.
Renhuai City, Guizhou Province launches measures to promote consumption. Image source: Internet
The content of the document that caused heated discussion was deleted
On the morning of June 30, Upstream News reporter searched the document ""China's Core Production Area (Renhuai)·Assisting Business and Benefiting the People" Special Action Plan for Promoting Consumption" through Baidu , and found that the link to the document was replaced with another document: the notice of the Office of the Renhuai Municipal People's Government on the issuance of the "Implementation Plan for the Creation and Improvement of the "Colorful Guizhou • The Most Beautiful Expressway" in Renhuai City in the New Era (2022-2025)".
Through the trace-keeping function of Baidu snapshots, the reporter found that on June 21, the Renhuai Municipal Government’s official website did release the special action plan for the Renhuai Municipal People’s Government Office on the issuance of the “China’s sauce-flavored liquor core production area (Renhuai)·Helping Business and Benefiting the People” to promote consumption.
After some search, the upstream news reporter finally found this "Renfu Banfa [2022] No. 7" of the Renhuai Municipal People's Government Office on the Issuance of the "China's Soy Flavored Liquor Core Production Area (Renhuai)·Assisting Business and Benefiting the People" Special Action Plan for Promoting Consumption" on the official website of Renhuai Municipal Government. The release date is June 13, consisting of 20 measures. The validity period of the notice is from June 1 to December 31, 2022.
After reading the file, the reporter found that the eighth measure that was hotly discussed by netizens had been deleted. The content rumored online that "if you spend more than 1,000 yuan in designated catering institutions, you can buy 1 bottle of Kweichow Moutai wine at a market guide price of 1,499 yuan, and open a bottle of Kweichow Moutai wine on site for drinking, or purchase 2 bottles of 'Renhuai 1935'" was deleted. Only the description of "carrying a series of joint promotion activities for Guizhou wine and Guizhou cuisine to further play the role of high-quality sauce-flavored wine in catering consumption".
content that caused heated discussion has disappeared in the new file. Image source: Renhuai Municipal Government official website
Industry and Commerce Bureau confirmed this activity
Why does the new version of "China's sauce-flavored liquor core production area (Renhuai)·Helping the business and benefiting the people" special action plan to promote consumption" deleted the description that if you can buy Moutai for 1,499 yuan for consumption over 1,000 yuan? Has the event been cancelled?
Upstream News reporter consulted the Renhuai Municipal Government Office on this matter. A staff member said: "We just replaced the documents according to the requirements of the relevant departments. As for the specific content, you need to consult the relevant departments."
According to the requirements of the documents, the series of activities of Guizhou wine and Guizhou cuisine linkage promotions are under the responsibility of Renhuai Municipal Bureau of Industry and Commerce. The reporter called the department and the staff who answered the call did not explain why the document deleted the description that "you can buy Moutai for 1,499 yuan for consumption of 1,000 yuan, and drink it on site", but said, "This matter is true."
Under the introduction of this staff member, the reporter interviewed the relevant personnel responsible for this event. He told reporters: "This event has not been cancelled. The launch meeting is being held today. The promotion will begin next. You can see the name of the designated catering agency in the news." He revealed some designated catering agencies participating in the event: "For example, Shang Weixuan, Xianfeng Jiu, etc., you can pay attention to the news and it will be broadcast."
htmlOn the morning of June 30, the reporter called the designated catering agency Shang Weixuan and asked if there was an activity where you could buy Maotai on-site drinking for 1,499 yuan for spending over 1,000 yuan. He was told by the staff: "We have not received the notice yet, and there is no such event at present. Only after the notice can the event be held, we don't know at present."The activity document released by the Renhuai Municipal Government on the official website.Image source: Renhuai Municipal Government official website
Lawyer: Requesting to "drink on the spot" is suspected of infringement
At present, the official guide price of Feitian Moutai, with a bottle of 1,499 yuan per bottle, is priced online ranging from 2,800 to 3,200 yuan. According to the Guizhou wine and Guizhou cuisine joint promotion series of Renhuai City , consumers spent 1,000 yuan to eat at designated catering institutions, and then spent 1,499 yuan to buy a bottle of Moutai to drink on site. The money "save" to buy Moutai exceeds 1,000 yuan. Therefore, some netizens said: "This activity is cost-effective, which is equivalent to drinking a bottle of Moutai for free and get a meal." However, some netizens questioned: "It is clearly the wine I bought, why do you have to drink it on site?"
Regarding netizens' questions, the reporter interviewed lawyer Nie Weichang of Beijing Dacheng (Chongqing) Law Firm. He first analyzed the nature of this promotion: "This is actually a means of marketing promotion. From a commercial perspective, it is understandable. On the surface, it is also a willingness to fight and the other is willing to be beaten. Consumers and merchants are equal subjects."
However, regarding the requirement that Moutai must be consumed on site, lawyer Nie Weichang believes that it may be suspected of infringement: "For most consumers, Moutai is not just a consumer product, but more of a gift. If you have to drink on site, you have to drink on site, which deprives Moutai of its gift attributes. Although this activity seems to be a big reward for the guests and gives consumers benefits, it also deprives consumers of the right to dispose of goods and choose from them. From this perspective, it is unfair."
Upstream News Reporter Zhao Yingji
