Sellers pay price to hide inexpensive 'Bund water'
The 1-yuan (14 US cents) bottled mineral water sold from mobile trolleys on the Bund in Shanghai was a favorite among visitors and was so popular that it was given the name "Bund water."
However, not only has the price doubled, but the bottled water is hard to be found on the Bund nowadays, as it is always "sold out" at the trolley, according to a report in Xinmin Evening News.
The 1-yuan bottled water, Yingchun mineral water, is produced by Pepsi, and was first introduced to the Bund in 2010 after the scenic spot was comprehensively renovated.
The price was even lower than those sold in the supermarkets.
From the beginning of this year, however, the price was raised to 2 yuan.
"It is OK to raise the price, but what bothers us is that it always runs out of stock," a visitor complained.
Visitors queue to buy drinks from a mobile trolley on the Bund.
After the mineral water is sold out, tourists have to buy beverages priced about 5-8 yuan from the trolleys.
However, it has been found that the sold-out claim is not the real case. Sometimes, the salesman hides the bottled water so that the tourists will purchase other higher-priced drinks.
Aware of this, the Bund Administration Office questioned the mobile trolley's operator Pepsi and required it to immediately rectify and provide better services for tourists.
A salesman on the cart is found to hide the water under his feet.
Pepsi responded that they would take measures to cope with the problem, including prioritizing the supply of mineral water among all beverages.
They will increase the water supply from 20 boxes (12 bottles of water per box) per cart to 40 boxes, accounting for half of the beverage supply, replenish the water supply to 40 boxes before 4pm each day, and strengthen supervision.
The Bund Administration Office also said they are planning to set up vending machines and install devices to provide drinking water on the Bund.
Mineral water is piled up in the Pepsi storehouse on the Bund.
