# nuts

China’s “Gilded” Snacks: Why Mall‑Boutique Nuts Have Triggered a Consumer Backlash

High‑end Chinese snack brands have moved traditional roasted seeds and nuts from street stalls into glossy mall stores, prompting sticker‑shock and online backlash as prices climb into the hundreds of yuan per jin. The premium push is driven by mall costs, higher‑grade raw materials and craft processes, but it collides with entrenched consumer expectations and a category that lacks coffee‑style habitual demand.