Part of the Pop Mart Dimoo KFC series limited edition Photo: Sina Weibo

Shanghai's market regulator issued a range of measures on Thursday to foster more entities and enterprises, and a regulatory guidance to oversee new business models such as "blind boxes." 

The regulatory measures released by Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation will be issued in a bid to further guide business operational activities for emerging sectors such as online algorithms recommendations and operational activities targeting the so-called "blind boxes."  

The China Consumer Association released a statement criticizing KFC on Wednesday for inducing and encouraging consumers' irrational purchase behavior by launching a "blind box" with toy collections, leading the price of the toys to skyrocket in second-hand markets, as well as potential food waste, as consumers may over purchase KFC family buckets which came with the "blind boxes."  

According to CCA's statement, some consumers were found out spending 10,494 yuan ($1649.66) and purchasing 106 sets in a single day to collect the toys and hire people to eat the food in order to collect the KFC "blind boxes." 

The measures also place emphasis on deepening the application of digitalization in market supervision, such as implementing a single digital license used for enterprises' electronic licensing and permits for market supervision, while also strengthening supervision of manipulative acts by enterprises that stifle competition.

Global Times