Visiting Lianyungang seafood and vegetable direct marketing market after the "ghost scale" incident: warning signs were hung at many places, and some businesses were closed

Journalist: Shu Dongni Editor: Liang Xiao

After the "Ghost Scale" incident, Lianyungang seafood and vegetable direct marketing market is also trying to recover its reputation. At the gate and in the market, banners were hung with the slogan of "One will pay for three if you are short of weight", and the loudspeaker beside the fair scale was playing "Once you find the ghost scale, it will be removed from the market immediately"

But at present, the effect of these measures is not significant.

"(Ghost scale) has ruined the reputation of this market... What's the use of putting (fair) scales?" one merchant said. On May 23, a reporter from the Daily Economic News came to Lianyungang seafood and vegetable direct marketing market. Many businesses told the reporter that after the "ghost scale" incident, business was not easy to do, and now it is even worse.

The picture shows Lianyungang seafood and vegetable direct marketing market Source: Photographed by reporter Shu Dongni

There are warning signs in the market

On the afternoon of May 23, the reporter from the Daily Economic News came to Lianyungang seafood and vegetable direct market. The reporter saw at the scene that there were slogans at the market gate, such as "The market publicly promises that if there is a lack of weight, one will pay three; if there is an overdue food, ten times the compensation", and there were also banners in the market, such as "If there is a lack of weight, one will pay three", "Civilized and honest operation, short weight is shameful".

Fair weighing platforms have been set up in many places in the market, and the speakers on one side automatically play the prompt "Once the ghost weighing platform is found, it will be removed from the market immediately". There are also staff patrolling with speakers on the scene.

Interior of Lianyungang Seafood and Vegetable Direct Marketing Market Source: Photographed by reporter Shu Dongni

During the reporter's stay, there were not many consumers in the market, and a staff member of the market management always followed the reporter. On the previous May 16, the online blogger "Kuangshong Brothers" released a video, saying that when buying seafood in the Lianyungang seafood and vegetable direct market, they encountered a "ghost balance". The weight of 500 grams on the merchant's scale was 630 grams. The merchant could control the weight at will by operating "unit price one" to "unit price three". The blogger had a conflict with the merchant and the market management, which caused widespread concern.

On May 17, Lianyungang Haizhou District Party Committee Propaganda Department's WeChat "Today Haizhou" release circular reported that the merchants involved were short of weight. At present, the market sponsor has cleared out the merchants involved and dismissed the staff who robbed mobile phones. In addition, the illegal acts of the merchants and market sponsors involved were investigated according to law, and the public security organs were investigated for the behaviors of the market sponsor's staff, such as Cao, grabbing mobile phones.

The reporter saw at the scene that Lianyungang Huirun Vegetable Live Bird Market Co., Ltd. is the main management body of Lianyungang seafood and vegetable direct market. According to the national enterprise credit information publicity system, the company was founded in October 2008, with Bian Dajun as its legal representative and general manager, who holds 10% of the company's shares, and Bian Baoshi, another shareholder, holds 90%. The reporter tried to interview the company, but the staff refused.

In the afternoon of May 24, the reporter repeatedly called the complaint telephone number publicized in the market, but no one answered. The reporter tried to contact the staff accompanying the reporter, but was not answered. Later, the reporter also called the business information registration number of the enterprise, and the other party said that he was not responsible for the work of the market.

As of May 19, the "Haizhou Today" continued to report that the market supervision department of Haizhou District had completed the investigation of the illegal acts of the merchants and market sponsors involved, and was informed of the administrative punishment. A fine of 30000 yuan will be imposed on the merchant involved in the violation of consumer rights and interests; The market sponsor shall be ordered to make corrections, given a warning, and fined 350000 yuan for acts that infringe upon the rights and interests of consumers. The district public security organ shall, in accordance with the law, impose administrative detention on the market sponsor's staff Cao and Wang, the merchant involved Xu and his relatives Xu and Shi.

According to the official WeChat message of the State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration, "On May 23, the State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration sent a letter of supervision on listing to the Jiangsu Provincial Market Supervision and Administration Bureau to supervise the investigation and handling of the" ghost scale "incident in the seafood and vegetable direct market in Haizhou District, Lianyungang City."

Fewer people come to buy things

According to the gate of Lianyungang Seafood and Vegetable Direct Marketing Market, the market is open from 7:00 to 20:00. The reporter visited the market from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m., and did not see many consumers. A merchant told the reporter that the fishing season is closed and the seafood market is in the off-season. Because of the "Ghost Scale" incident, a few days ago, more people came to the market to "punch in", but now there is no one.

When talking about the impact of the "ghost scale" incident, a merchant boss said frankly, "(ghost scale) has ruined the reputation of this market... What's the use of putting (fair) scales? As long as your heart is not right, the best scales are useless." "One is to ask how the market is, without saying anything, you are thinking about the ghost scale in your heart.".

Because the "ghost scale" event was exposed on the Internet, many merchants in the market were affected accordingly. On May 17, the day after the "Ghost Scale" related video was fermented, merchant Li Hui (not his real name) received nearly 70 calls all day, "calling directly". He tried to call the police, but it was useless. In the next few days, there were fewer calls, but he would still be woken up by the harassing phone call at 3 or 4 in the morning, and finally had to shut down.

The two merchants near the stalls involved have chosen to suspend their shops. The merchant next door told the reporter that the boss could not stand the harassment of harassing phone calls, and some people came to "punch in", affecting business, so they directly closed the shop for a rest.

A shop close to the booth involved is temporarily closed. Photo source: Every time reporter Shu Dongni takes a photo

Some merchants stressed to the reporter that it is definitely wrong to be short of weight, but in their view, this is also a rare case. More merchants are silent about the "Ghost Scale" incident, which has had a bad impact on them. They do not want to mention it again, but only hope that the incident can be settled as soon as possible.