As the world's largest producer of canned food, China produces a staggering amount of canned food each year. According to statistics, in 2022, the mainland produced about 15 million tons of canned food of various types, accounting for more than 1/3 of the total global output. However, it is puzzling that, despite such high production, domestic canned food sales are quite mediocre, accounting for only about 5% of total food sales in the same period. What is the reason for this situation of "high production and low sales"?
The first reason is the Chinese's obsession with the freshness of ingredients. Since ancient times, our ancestors have attached great importance to the freshness of ingredients, believing that it is directly related to the nutrition and taste of food. In their mind, freshness is the vitality of ingredients, and only freshly picked vegetables, fish and shrimp caught are the most nutritious and delicious.
However, during the production and processing of canned food, it is inevitable that some of the nutrients such as water and vitamins will be lost, and the freshness will be greatly reduced. Taking vegetables as an example, they need to be processed and sealed into cans in a short time after picking, otherwise nutrients will be lost quickly. Even with state-of-the-art vacuum packaging technology, the taste and nutrition of fresh vegetables on site are always lacking.
For meat, when the fresh meat is heated, some of the juice and nutrients such as protein dissolved in it will be oozing, which makes it difficult to completely retain the tender and juicy taste of the meat. Canned meat has been heated and sterilized during production, which cannot restore the original flavor when it is fresh.
Because of this, many people have doubts about canned food, believing that it cannot be compared to food freshly prepared on site, both in terms of nutritional value and taste. The traditional concept of fresh food has been deeply rooted in the food concept of Chinese people, and has become one of the main obstacles to the popularization of canned food.
Secondly, the elderly population in mainland China is relatively high, and most of them are not familiar with the "trendy" food of canned food, and even have some unfamiliarity. This is due to the environment in which they grew up.
Most of the elderly were born in the fifties and sixties of the last century, when living conditions were relatively difficult and it was almost difficult for ordinary families to buy canned food. Even in a small number of well-to-do households, canned food is often only used as emergency reserve food, and is rarely eaten on weekdays. Therefore, in their memory, canned food has always been a "foreign" and unfamiliar ingredient.
Over time, older people develop the habit of relying on traditional cooking methods. They prefer to go to the market and buy fresh ingredients and cook them themselves, as is customary. This habit is not only rooted in the way of life, but also contains a life philosophy and the inheritance of traditional wisdom. When faced with "ready-made" canned food, they naturally feel a little uncomfortable.
The younger generation, because they have been influenced and nurtured by their elders since childhood, naturally continues this habit. In my memory, my grandparents were always busy in the kitchen, cooking a table of hot home-cooked dishes. In contrast, opening a can of cold canned food obviously lacks that kind of warm taste of family affection.
This subtle influence makes the elderly and the younger generation have a certain psychological barrier to canned food, and it is difficult to fully accept and integrate it into the daily diet. The strong inertia of traditional habits is destined to promote canned food in the domestic market.
For a long time in the past, the per capita disposable income level in the mainland was low, and canned food was regarded as a luxury item that could hardly be afforded by ordinary families.
Back in the 80s of the last century, when the annual income of most families in China was only a few hundred yuan, and the price of a can of canned meat was about 1 yuan, which is equivalent to the daily salary of an ordinary worker. For most people, canned food is obviously a luxury. Even canned vegetables are expensive, and not everyone can afford them.
In contrast, fresh fresh fruits, vegetables and meat are significantly more affordable. Therefore, in that period, it was difficult for canned food to appear on the dining table of ordinary families, and it was basically a "rich man's thing".
Since the beginning of the new century, although the national economic level has developed by leaps and bounds, and the per capita disposable income has risen year by year, the long-standing concept of "canned food is a luxury product" has not been completely reversed.
For many people, especially the elderly, the consumption habits they formed from childhood to adulthood have been deeply rooted, and the perception of canned food in their minds is still stuck in the past. As a result, even now that economic conditions have improved, it is difficult for them to choose canned food as their first choice when shopping for ingredients.
This deep-rooted traditional concept makes the market promotion process of canned food in China quite slow.
In addition, the promotion of canned food in China is relatively short, and there is a significant gap compared to Western countries. The earliest canned food dates back to the late 18th century, when it emerged and became popular in Europe with the Industrial Revolution. By the middle of the 19th century, France and England already had large-scale canning industries. In China, the real processing of canned food was postponed until the early 20th century.
On the one hand, at that time, China's economic strength was limited, the degree of industrialization was low, and the technology and equipment for canning production could not be comparable to that of Western countries. On the other hand, in China, which is dominated by a self-sufficient traditional agricultural economy, ordinary people mainly rely on self-production and self-consumption for their living supplies, and the demand for industrialized food is not urgent. As a result, the promotion of canned food in China has been relatively slow.
In contrast, the developed countries in the West, with their strong economic strength and industrial base, have relatively high income levels and more modern lifestyles. Throughout the 20th century, canned food played an important role in Western countries, providing convenient food options for the public. Whether it is military support or daily life, canned food can be seen everywhere and gradually become deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.
It was not until the 80s of the last century, with the tide of reform and opening up, that China's canned food industry began to usher in development opportunities. However, compared with Western countries, the mainland started relatively late, and the history of promotion is relatively short. In addition, at that time, the domestic economic level was limited and the income of residents was low, and the popularity of canned food, as a new food, was naturally limited to a certain extent. This has created a clear gap between China and the West in this area.
Looking at the above reasons, we can find that cultural habits, economic level and traditional concepts have affected the acceptance of canned food by Chinese people to a certain extent. However, it may remain to be seen whether these issues will continue to exist as the times progress.
After all, in today's society, a fast-paced lifestyle is gradually becoming the norm. As a convenient and practical food, the advantages of canned food are undeniable. Perhaps, as long as we open our minds and abandon prejudices, it will eventually have a chance to win the favor of the Chinese people.