KFC China’s Dimoo “Blind Box” Promotion Reveals the Dangers of Herd Mentality

Recently, in partnership with blind box provider Pop Mart, the fast-food chain KFC launched a new meal promotion known as "blind box meal" to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the brand's first restaurant opening in China. A customer can spend 99 yuan (approximately US$16) to purchase a family meal with the addition of a "blind box" that randomly contains one version of large-eyed and round-faced KFC x Dimoo limited edition dolls. According to the sale rules of this "blind box meal," a customer must purchase at least six meals to obtain a complete six-figure set of dolls, and the seventh doll, the rarest item in the collection, has only a 1:72 probability of appearing in a meal. 

KFC x Dimoo limited edition doll figures

Image Source: Weibo

The high rarity and the uniqueness of these "blind boxes" have caused frenzied buying from many Chinese consumers. In fact, the exclusivity of these dolls and "blind boxes" prompted a collector to splurge 10,494 yuan (approximately US$1,650) to buy 106 meals in order to obtain a complete collection. The panic buying of these KFC x Dolls also fueled the second-hand market price. On a popular Chinese online second-hand retail platform named Xianyu, a complete set of 6 dolls is now priced at around 700 yuan (approximately US$110). The rarest seventh doll has soared to 800 yuan (approximately US$130) alone. The price is already more than eight times the original price of 99 yuan. 

Then a problem arose: How can one dispense and eat all the meals after all the purchases? Many consumers decided to buy "eat-for-you" services, which they would pay others to buy and eat the 99-yuan meals in return for the "blind box" and the doll that comes with the meal. But often, the uneaten food is discarded or simply thrown away. 

On November 12, 1987, KFC opened its first restaurant in China in Beijing

Image Source: Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History

On April 29, 2021, China passed a new Anti-Food-Waste Law that required catering operators in China to reduce and prevent food waste through practices such as advising consumers to order food in moderation and avoiding sales promotions that might induce excessive consumption. The China Consumers Association believed that KFC "used limited-edition blind box sales to induce irrational and excessive purchase of meals from consumers, which is in contrary to the public order, good customs, and the spirit of the law", according to a statement the association released on January 12, 2022. 

It is reasonable for companies and businesses to launch sales promotions, such as coupons, discounts, or giveaways. But as a catering and fast food company, KFC should recognize that instant consumption is an essential characteristic of their products. Since fast foods are not like dolls that can last a long time, consumers generally don't over-buy or over-consume them. In the sales of the limited "blind boxes," KFC's strategy of "Hunger Marketing" greatly stimulated consumer consumption, which led to impulsive purchases and overspending from many Chinese consumers who are trying to obtain these limited "blind boxes" and the rare dolls in them. The result: large amounts of food waste. 

With the launch of a new anti-food-waste campaign, signs encouraging people not to waste food are now seen at many restaurants in China

Image Source: CNN

But KFC is not the only one to blame here. Consumers also need to reflect on their behaviors. Many young Chinese consumers splurge their money on KFC "blind boxes" just to stay up with the popular "blind box" trend. The frenzied buying of the KFC "blind boxes" reveals a problem that lies within not only the Chinese consumer base but also the world consumer base. There have been countless incidents around the world such as this that happened in the past because consumers blindly followed the trend without considering the consequences or even knowing the meanings behind the trends. Many teenagers and young adults around the world make purchases so that they can keep up with the Joneses. The development of the Internet and social media has implemented a "herd mentality" into many people, causing them to lack the ability of independent thinking. This "blind box" sale is a perfect example that demonstrated the negative consequences of following pop culture blindly. Following trends can give emotional satisfaction to many as they feel involved and fit in. But the need for emotional satisfaction should never be built on the basis of wastefulness, especially food wastefulness. The KFC "blind box" situation should serve as an alarm clock for all the consumers around the world about the dangers that herd mentality, impulsive spending, and lack of independent thinking can bring. As consumers, we need to become smarter by exercising more independent thinking, enhancing our ability to distinguish right from wrong, and being more rational in our decision-making process. By doing so, we can prevent the worse from happening and build a better society.