Sushiro HK brand sentiments dip over apparent hygiene concerns

Sushi chain Sushiro Hong Kong has seen a dip in brand sentiments after a video showing a boy placing a mini tong in his mouth at one of its restaurants went viral online. The store has disinfected and cleaned all ginger slice containers and tongs after the incident.

The clip, shared on Threads by a Sushiro customer on Tuesday (4 February), features a boy kneeling on a chair with his shoes on, licking a mini tong used to pick up ginger slices from the box. The boy’s parents did not stop the boy, and the tongs eventually fell to the floor.

According to media intelligence firm CARMA, there were a total of 467 mentions of Sushiro Hong Kong regarding the incident, with an increase of negative sentiments from 26.7% to 54.2% and a decrease of positive sentiments from 14.7% to 12.4%.

Some netizens are expressing anger and support for the restaurant's decision to take legal action against the child's parents, according to CARMA. Others are defending the child, arguing that it was a childish act and that the parents should not be held responsible.

In fact, the incident drew mixed reactions online, amassing over 1.55 million views and more than 870 comments on Threads, a check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE saw. While some users said they noticed the absence of the box with ginger slices during their visit to the Wong Tai Sin store, some said Sushiro should take serious follow-up actions.

In response, Sushiro said in a statement on its Instagram and Facebook pages yesterday (5 February) that the incident has severely damaged the brand's image. It has expressed strong condemnation and will take strict measures, including relevant legal action. The store has removed all ginger slices and disinfected all ginger containers and tongs.

To avoid similar incidents in the future, Sushiro is also considering changing how ginger is served, ensuring that customers can enjoy their dining experience at Sushiro Hong Kong with peace of mind.

“Sushiro will continue to uphold its image as the leading conveyor belt sushi brand in Japan, strictly implementing quality control measures for food production to ensure that all food and utensils meet hygiene standards, while continuing to provide a pleasant dining experience for customers,” it added. 

This isn't the first time Sushiro has faced a suspected food hygiene issue. Back in August 2023, the brand withdrew its lawsuit against a boy from Gifu Prefecture, who had been sued for around HK$3.4 million. This was related to a prank video in which he spat on sushi dishes on the conveyor belt and licked a bottle of soy sauce at a Sushiro location in Gifu in January of that year. The two parties reached a settlement in July 2023, with Sushiro stating that the customer admitted his "responsibility" and that they had come to a "reasonable" agreement.

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