China is Finally Realizing That Instant Noodles Are Bad For You

Analyst Xiao Chan has attributed the decline of instant noodles to today’s “new generation of consumers” who opt for “healthier, finer products.”

According to South China Morning Post, the World Instant Noodles Association statistics have revealed that the demand for instant noodles have declined by 17% in 2016. This has affected China’s leading instant noodles suppliers such as Uni-President and Tingyi, which have suffered a drop in profits by 27% and 30%, respectively.

However, Uni-President isn’t willing to give up on the market as they hope to promote better quality products, including its Man Han Feast series, in the hopes of improving the declining sales. The Chinese supplier revealed that they”ll gradually be removing cheaper noodles from their shelves in lieu of more “high-end” instant noodle products.

The growth of online food retailers are also affecting instant noodles sales, since these stores not only provide better quality food, but also offer them at discounted prices. The influx of a more health-conscious, tech-savvy generation has led to the growth of food delivery apps, which have garnered 295 million users, and could take instant noodles and retail stores out of the picture.

Another cause of the declining sales is the shrinking number of migrant workers in China, who also happen to be one of the major consumers of instant noodles. There are also major health hazard issues being associated with instant noodles, which could urge consumers to avoid it altogether.

Instant noodles are notorious for their unhealthy contents such as additives and preservatives, which can cause severe health issues when consumed regularly, according to NDTV. China is becoming more conscious of health, since other beneficial alternatives like whole foods and dairy products are on the rise.

Feature Image via Flickr / Jonathan Lin (CC BY-SA 2.0)