Beijing Retailers Promise to Stop Time-Limited Sales

Giant retail companies in Beijing have promised not to put on time-limited sales promotions, which might lead to traffic congestion, injuries and disorderly conducts, in an effort to ease security concerns.

Beijing Daily reported on Friday that 19 giant retail companies in Beijing signed a joint consent on standard business operation in a conference held for the retailing industry. Supermarket Carrefour, Wal-Mart, and giant electronics retailer Gome, Suning are all on the list.

The retail companies pledged to carry out honest promotions and create sound shopping environment. Representatives on the conference revealed that to better insure security they will set a series of security measures, including safeguard plan, emergency response system for any promotional activity as well as traffic control during emergencies.

Lu Hao, vice mayor of Beijing, attended the meeting and indicated that as holidays draw near, the city has strengthened its efforts in regulating sales promotions, and enterprises are required to get approval from authorities before putting on any large-scale sales promotion. He also urged that various emergency response plans and security measures should be put in place.

Beijing Municipal Bureau of Commerce has also done its part in enhancing supervision over sales promotion. An internal responsibility credential was signed between the municipal bureau and local offices to improve the conduct of retailers throughout the city.

China's Ministry of Commerce issued an urgent circular banning time-limited sales promotions in shops in the middle of November, following a deadly stampede at a Carrefour outlet in southwestern Chongqing Municipality that caused three people dead and 31 injured.