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China orders safety check at supermarkets during national holidays

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-09 21:18

BEIJING - The Ministry of Commerce has ordered a safety check on sales promotions during China's upcoming national holidays.

The move comes after the deaths of three people in November last year, in chaos triggered by the promotion of cooking oil at a Carrefour outlet in southwestern Chongqing Municipality. A further 31 were injured.

Similar incidents were also reported at big supermarkets offering discounts in other cities like Shanghai.

The ministry had banned time-limited sales promotion shortly after the deadly stampede at the Chongqing disaster.

China will celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival this weekend and the National Day in two weeks, and the country's retailers, especially supermarkets, are expected to launch sales promotion to lure buyers.

The checks, to be carried out ahead of the holidays, would focus on large retailers, such as with an operation area above 3,000 square meters or with an annual turnover of more than 10 million yuan (US$1.47 million).

The retailers should have emergency plans for large crowds, and safety facilities should work.