Blow away the Beijing smog with a bottle of fresh air
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A bottle of Vitality Air from Canada retails at 108 yuan (15.6 USD). [Photo: Beijing Youth Daily]

On the smoggiest of Beijing days, what wouldn't you pay for a breath of fresh air?

No surprise then that the trade in "selling fresh air" is becoming big business, especially online, Beijing Youth Daily reported.

It's now possible to buy a variety of bottles of fresh air, just as you would water or fruit drink, with prices ranging from a few yuan, all the way up to several hundred yuan for a top of the range brand.

Perhaps you'd like to try some Vitality Air from Canada retailing at 108 yuan (15.6 USD). Or maybe savor 'Pure' fresh air from New Zealand for which you can pay as much as 699 yuan (101 USD) for just one bottle, or 219 yuan (32 USD) at a discounted rate. But don't worry. If you are on a budget, it is possible to buy a bottle of fresh air in China for just 5 yuan (73 US cents).

So the next question is, once you've bought it, how do you use the bottled fresh air? According to the instructions, just flick off the lid, hold the nozzle under your nose, squeeze the bottle and breathe.

The price of 'Pure' fresh air from New Zealand can be as high as 699 yuan (about 101 USD) for one bottle. [Photo: Beijing Youth Daily]

And how long does it last? Some makers say so long as you don't open the bottle, then it'll never expire. Others are more cautious and say the guarantee period is just one year.

Asked about the point of such a product, one retailer said that it was of no practical use at all, but was just a curiosity.

As for the import category, the seller said, no one knows. For the moment at least, the industry and commerce administration says there is no registration category for "air" in Beijing. There are no standards for such a product. Also, the sale of fresh air is not prohibited.

However, staff members from the administration say that such products cannot be guaranteed, and consumers could be subject to false claims. The administration suggests people should be cautious when making a purchase.

Author： 　　　Source：CRI　　　 Editor：Yang Fan