Chinese will have to spend more on the Lunar New Year, as prices
for family reunion dinners that are catered or served at
restaurants have surged, according to a market survey released on
Sunday.
The survey by the Beijing-based China Cuisine Association
covered hundreds of firms in large and mid-sized cities. The survey
found that the cost of a Spring Festival Eve dinner had jumped by
about 20 percent from last year and more than 91 percent of the
restaurants had asked suppliers to show business licenses, in a
move to ensure the materials' quality.
Traditionally, Chinese made their Spring Festival Eve dinners at
home. But greater affluence means that more can, and do, opt for
restaurants with elaborate menus -- and a staff to wash the
dishes.
In addition, more than 3 million staff in the catering industry
had said they would give up their holidays to work. And, more
migrants who work in the service sector in big cities -- including
the catering industry -- are likely to remain on the job by
default, as they can't get home due to the heavy snow that
paralyzes the country's transportation system.
Some local governments, such as that of Guangdong Province, have
urged companies to grant employees a paid holiday after the Spring
Festival.
Meanwhile, another nationwide survey, by human resources company
Zhilian Recruiting, found that the rising cost of Spring Festival
celebrations had become a burden to some low-income rural migrants
who make their living in China's cities.
According to the survey, 80 percent of these employees pour a
month's wages into Lunar New Year travel and gift-giving.
Migrant workers earn about 1,200 yuan (167 U.S. dollars) a month
at places such as Shenzhen in Guangdong Province, China's first
'open city' for foreign investment. There, per capita gross
domestic product exceeded 10,000 U.S. dollars last year.
(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2008)
