Picking sushi in Hong Kong could become more of a lottery now plastics ban has kicked in
- Major Japanese discount chain Don Don Donki replaces transparent plastic sushi boxes with cardboard ones in line with new rules for dining in
- But some buyers say the convenience of dining in outweighs not being able to see their sushi before they buy
Choosing sushi in Hong Kong could become more hit-and-miss after a major Japanese discount chain started to put the treat into cardboard boxes following the city’s plastic ban kicking in.
A check at the Don Don Donki store in Causeway Bay on Wednesday found that although some sushi products were packed in the usual transparent plastic boxes, others used cardboard packaging for people who wanted to eat in the shop’s seating area.
Buyers only had a picture on top of the biodegradable boxes to guide them on what the sushi looked like.
Jake Miller, 36, an American who works for a medical group, admitted he would prefer to buy his sushi in a see-through plastic box.
“Eating sushi and sashimi goes beyond the taste – the presentation is equally important,” Miller said.
“Considering that sushi and sashimi are placed inside a cardboard box, I’m not sure if there are any protective linings in it.
“I can envision water stains appearing in the box once the food comes into contact with the packaging material. It doesn’t sound appealing at all.”
A notice was posted at the entrance to the store to remind customers that, from Monday, plastic throwaway containers cannot be used for dine-in dishes.
Hung Chun-keung, 26, a waiter, said he would take the comfort and air conditioning in the seating area over not being able to inspect the “freshness” of the salmon sushi he wanted.
“I can’t ask for more with 10 pieces of salmon sushi for just HK$63,” Hung said.
“The seating area is always not crowded and is comfortable. It’s literally the best place to hang around when I’m on a meal break.”
Hong Kong restaurants serve up variety of utensils to adapt to plastics ban
Alicia Cheung Lai-kan, a 28-year-old marketing manager, said she did not mind buying her sushi packed in cardboard.
“I’m pretty sure those sashimi and sushi inside both the plastic and cardboard boxes are the same batch,” she added.
“If you say we can’t see if they are fresh enough through the cardboard box, you will have the same issue when you order delivery, anyway.”
Cheung added that, as the cardboard boxes were for customers who wanted to eat at the in-store dining area, they could always complain and ask for a replacement if they had any problems.
Not many customers had opted to use the dining area on the first floor of the Paterson Street Don Don Donki to eat the food they had bought when the Post visited on Wednesday.
The new system at the store was introduced after the first phase of the ban on single-use plastics came into force on Monday.
Plastics ban begins with little disruption at Hong Kong restaurant chains
The first phase covers styrofoam products and throwaway plastic items such as cutlery and straws, which are prohibited for takeaway purchases.
Single-use plastic tableware is no longer available to people dining in.
Retail chain City’super in Times Square, also in Causeway Bay, which also allows customers to eat in with food bought at the store, had not adopted similar measures, with sushi and other meals being packed in plastic boxes as usual on Wednesday.
The government has given businesses a six-month grace period to adapt to the change, and said it would only take enforcement action against those that failed to comply with the new rules.
Offenders face a maximum fine of HK$100,000 (US$12,765) and may also be required to pay HK$2,000 under a fixed penalty system.
Fong Lai-ying, director of the Hong Kong Food Innovation and Technology Centre, said there were no safety concerns over the use of biodegradable cardboard for food containers.
“It’s fine to have this kind of packaging materials to hold cold dishes,” said Fong, who is also a member of the government’s food safety committee.
“[The material] is very stable. I am just more concerned with them holding hot food.
“Boxes made with food-grade natural materials are safe for use. As a whole, we don’t need to overreact to those container materials. They are quite safe for holding cold food.”
The box used by Don Don Donki is made by US-based food packaging manufacturer Sabert.
The company’s website said the boxes worked best in dry applications and would soften when exposed to a lot of moisture.
The box can also withstand 204 degrees Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) for 30 minutes and can be frozen for up to six months before the food inside starts to deteriorate.
