A notable hygiene breach has compelled a major supermarket in Sanya, Hainan Province, to suspend all live seafood sales after footage circulated online showing an employee standing barefoot inside a shrimp tank during cleaning. The incident, documented on November 24, 2025, sparked immediate customer outrage and emphasized the persistent challenges retailers face in maintaining strict food safety standards across high-volume operations.
Hygiene Breach Prompts Immediate Product Recall
The controversy erupted when visual evidence disseminated across Chinese social media platforms captured a woman, identified as a supplier representative, performing cleaning duties within the supermarket’s seafood section. In the widely viewed footage, the employee, dressed in standard work attire, was seen scrubbing the upper portion of an aquarium while her bare feet were submerged among the live shrimp in the water tank below.
The public reaction was swift and critical, focusing acutely on the potential contamination risks associated with bare skin contact in a food preparation and display area. Health experts often emphasize that food environments require rigorous adherence to sanitation protocols, particularly for highly perishable goods like live seafood.
Supermarket Takes Disciplinary Action
In response to the viral footage and subsequent customer complaints, supermarket management acted rapidly. A spokesperson confirmed the immediate removal of all seafood products from the affected area as a precautionary measure, temporarily halting sales from the live tanks.
Management also addressed the matter directly with the individual’s employer (the seafood supplier), issuing a formal warning regarding the severe breach of established hygiene protocols. The supermarket stressed that future, repeated violations of this nature would result in escalated disciplinary action, potentially including the termination of the supply contract.
This swift recall highlights the delicate balance retail environments must strike between product freshness and sanitation compliance. While live tanks are intended to display product vitality, they require meticulous and highly regulated cleaning procedures implemented by appropriately trained staff wearing designated protective gear.
Maintaining Stringent Food Safety Protocols
The Sanya incident serves as a crucial reminder for retailers globally about the imperative of stringent food safety training beyond core employees, extending to third-party contractors and supplier representatives operating within their premises.
For consumers, confidence in fresh seafood relies heavily on visible evidence of cleanliness and professional handling. When this trust is eroded by highly visible hygiene failures, the consequences—as seen in Sanya—are immediate product recalls and significant reputational damage.
Key Takeaways for Seafood Retailers:
- Mandatory Footwear Protocols: Ensure all staff and suppliers working near or in contact with live tanks utilize waterproof, non-slip sanitary footwear exclusively designated for that area.
- Supplier Compliance: Integrate clear, enforceable hygiene clauses into all supplier contracts, specifically addressing handling and cleaning practices within the retail space.
- Regular Audits: Conduct frequent, unannounced hygiene and safety audits across all high-risk departments (like live produce and seafood) to preemptively identify non-compliance.
Following the recall, the Sanya supermarket is expected to reinforce its sanitation policies and potentially upgrade equipment or training for staff to prevent similar incidents, underscoring the ongoing industry-wide focus on maintaining public trust in the food supply chain. Customers will be monitoring whether the fresh seafood section can regain its credibility following this highly visible lapse in safety standards.