Young people on Xiaohongshu have fallen in love with the "leftovers blind box". Are they really getting the best deal?

On Xiaohongshu, "leftover blind boxes" have become a new favorite among young people; however, there are multiple problems hidden behind this consumption craze. This article will explore the phenomenon of "leftover blind boxes", analyze the social mentality and consumer psychology behind it, and reveal the pros and cons of this new consumption model.

Recently, a trend of "leftover food blind boxes" has quietly swept the consumer market.

On Xiaohongshu, many netizens shared their feelings about buying blind boxes of leftovers: "I got 4 boxes of buffet dishes for 19.9 yuan, it's worth it to cry", "Luckily I am a migrant worker in Shenzhen, I'm so happy", "The blind box of leftovers in Hong Kong hotels is so big that I can't finish it", "The blind box of buffet dishes in Changsha for 15.9 yuan feels like it weighs a kilogram when I carry it".

From "consumption upgrade" to "consumption downgrade", young people are trying to find a balance between saving money and quality, and the "leftover food blind box" seems to be the perfect carrier for this demand.

However, behind this seemingly win-win consumption boom, are young people making the most of the products, or is it a game between merchants and consumers? Let’s explore this from the perspective of “Crawley”~

01 From Northern Europe to China, the “leftovers blind box” has crossed the ocean

The "leftover blind box" is not a new thing. In 2015, the Danish company Too Good To Go (meaning "good things that are a pity to throw away") pioneered the "magic bag" model, where consumers can reserve the unsold food of the merchant on the day through the app and buy it at a low price in the form of a blind box.

The picture comes from the Internet

This model quickly became popular in Europe, covering more than 80,000 stores in 17 countries by 2023, reducing food waste by more than 200 million servings. Behind its success is the social anxiety caused by the 88 million tons of food waste in the EU each year - the waste at the retail end alone is enough to feed 200 million people.

In China, the implementation of this concept has undergone localization transformation. In 2022, platforms such as "Food Magic Bag" and "MiLi Box" began to test the waters, initially focusing on bakeries and coffee shops in first-tier cities - covering categories such as bread, sushi, and light meals, with prices mostly 30% to 40% off the original price.

The picture comes from the Internet

Unlike the European model, domestic platforms emphasize the excitement of "limited-time sales": reservations are open from 18:00 to 21:00 every day, and consumers need to wait in advance to test their speed.

A clerk at a popular bakery in Chaoyang District, Beijing revealed that the store prepares 30 blind boxes every day, which are usually sold out within 30 seconds. "Some people set alarms specifically to grab them, and it's more competitive than grabbing concert tickets."

Data confirms the explosive power of this model. In 2023, the number of users of "Food Magic Bag" exceeded 3 million, and the number of cooperating merchants increased from 500 to 5,000. After a chain baking brand in Chengdu connected to the blind box system, the store loss rate dropped from 12% to 4%, and the average monthly revenue increased by more than 30,000 yuan. According to a survey by the Shanghai Consumer Association, users aged 18-35 accounted for 83% of the blind box consumer group, of which women accounted for 67%, and "saving money + environmental protection + fun" became the three core driving forces.

Leftover blind boxes have also quickly become a hot topic of discussion on social platforms such as Xiaohongshu. Many netizens share their experiences of buying and opening leftover blind boxes. They use text, pictures or videos to show the food contents of the blind boxes, such as rich seafood, exquisite desserts, various fruits and hot dishes, etc., forming a series of notes and guides to pass on experience to other users. These contents have further fueled the craze, and the number of readings of related topics on Xiaohongshu has exceeded 100 million, becoming a dual symbol of "saving money + socializing".

The picture comes from Xiaohongshu

However, the difficulty of buying blind boxes is comparable to the "Spring Festival travel rush". The 79-yuan buffet blind box launched by Hilton DoubleTree Shenzhen Longhua was originally priced at more than 200 yuan. It was sold in limited quantities every day, and consumers had to be quick. The blind boxes of a bakery in Beijing were sold out in seconds after they were launched, and the clerk said bluntly that "it was all because of snatching."

The picture comes from Xiaohongshu

02 Deconstructing consumer psychology: Why are young people willing to be “leftover hunters”?

While labels such as "poor refined people" and "moonlight clan" have not yet faded, this generation of young people has given themselves a new identity as "leftover hunters". This seemingly contradictory consumption choice is actually a projection of the interweaving of multiple social mentalities.

The fascination with uncertainty constitutes the first attraction. In modern life dominated by algorithms, the randomness of blind boxes is like a miniature adventure - you may spend 19.9 yuan to buy an alkaline bread set that originally costs 68 yuan, or you may receive a bag of whole wheat toast that no one wants.

A Beijing netizen recorded his 30-day blind box challenge on social media: "I have opened hard bagels and encountered limited edition strawberry cakes. This lottery experience is addictive." Psychological research shows that this "intermittent reinforcement" mechanism will stimulate the secretion of dopamine, and its addictiveness is comparable to drawing cards in a game.

The picture comes from Xiaohongshu

Cost-effectiveness is a more realistic consideration. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the peak unemployment rate of urban youth aged 16-24 in China will reach 21.3% in 2023. Against the backdrop of shrinking incomes, "spending every penny with cost-effectiveness" has become a survival rule.

Chen, a fresh graduate from Shenzhen, did some calculations: by buying bread and light meals through blind boxes, he can save 600 yuan in food and beverage expenses each month, "equivalent to saving half a square meter of rent." This careful calculation has even spawned a "blind box financial management strategy" - some bloggers have compiled lists of the best value for money for various blind boxes, teaching fans to avoid "minefield" stores and areas.

The deeper motivation comes from the reconstruction of values. When the "Clean Plate Campaign" changes from public welfare advocacy to life practice, buying blind boxes becomes a convenient way for young people to practice environmental protection.

The picture comes from Xiaohongshu

A survey conducted by the School of Environment at Zhejiang University found that people born after 1995 feel significantly more guilty about "food waste" than other generations, and 72% of respondents believe that blind box consumption can reduce moral anxiety. This mentality is further amplified on social media: posting blind box spoils with the tag "Save 200 grams of food today" is becoming a new social currency.

03 The shadow behind the carnival: When saving money becomes an adventure

There are multiple uncertainties behind the appeal of "leftover blind boxes". The first and foremost is the randomness of product quality and quantity. Consumers often place orders with high expectations, but may encounter the embarrassment of "the goods are not what they ordered".

For example, the blind boxes of the same bakery are sometimes filled with signature European bread, and sometimes filled with unpopular flavors that are not selling well; a blind box of coffee is marked with "three random cups", but in fact all the coffee you get is American coffee, which makes consumers feel "perfunctory". What's more, some businesses mix food that is close to its expiration date into blind boxes, forcing consumers to "eat away" a lot of food in a short period of time, which falls into the vicious circle of "wasting if you can't finish it", which runs counter to the original intention of environmental protection.

Food safety is another hidden concern. Although merchants claim that blind box foods are "quality intact", in actual operation, the storage conditions of expiring foods are difficult to guarantee. The shelf life of baked products is usually only 1-2 days, and they are very easy to deteriorate in the high temperature of summer; sushi, dairy products, etc. have strict requirements for cold chain transportation. If the merchant does not clearly mark the storage method or production time, it may pose a health hazard.

The picture comes from the Internet

As early as 2022, the State Administration for Market Regulation had clearly banned the sale of food in the form of blind boxes, but some platforms skirted the rules by using names such as "magic bags" and "surprise boxes", and the gray area of ​​supervision made it difficult for consumers to protect their rights. The China Consumers Association has repeatedly warned that some businesses even tampered with the production date of expired food and passed the risk on to consumers.

In addition, the instability of the consumption experience is also dampening the enthusiasm of young people. Many platforms set strict collection rules: consumers must pick up the goods at the store within 1 hour, and orders exceeding the time limit will be automatically invalidated and no refund will be given. For commuters, traffic jams during the evening rush hour or temporary overtime work may result in "drawing water with a bamboo basket".

The picture comes from Xiaohongshu

What is even more criticized is that some businesses regard blind boxes as a tool for attracting customers, and the quality of service has shrunk accordingly. For example, users of a hotel buffet blind box reported that the remaining dishes were mostly cold cuts or low-cost ingredients, and popular dishes such as salmon and steak had long been removed from the shelves. The expectation of "getting the best deal" eventually turned into the disappointment of "eating leftovers".

04 Rational consumption will make the “leftover food blind box” go further

Despite the constant controversy, the "leftover blind box" continues to evolve amid controversy. In Hangzhou, some platforms have introduced the "transparent blind box" model, announcing food categories and shelf life in advance; in Shanghai, the market supervision department has piloted a "blind box cooling-off period", where consumers can return goods unconditionally within 15 minutes after receiving them; in Shenzhen, chain brands have begun to implement the "blind box + charity" plan, donating 1 yuan to food banks for every blind box sold.

The significance of this consumer revolution may go beyond the superficial logic of saving money. When young people vote with their wallets, they push businesses to rethink production plans, logistics management, and inventory turnover, and their influence has penetrated deep into the supply chain. The head of a baking brand in Beijing admitted that after connecting to the blind box system, the store began to adopt a "dynamic baking" mode, adjusting production through sales forecasts, and the average daily flour consumption dropped by 18%.

As sociologist Xiang Biao said: "The essence of the blind box economy is that consumers use collective action to force the optimization of the business system."

Young people on Xiaohongshu are fond of blind boxes of leftovers, which shows us the new possibilities of the blind box economy and the social power triggered by this new consumption format and diversified consumption symbols. Young people may not be able to fully "get the wool", but they are writing the survival wisdom of the new consumption era in their own way in the triangle relationship between saving money, environmental protection and experience.