Shanghai Consumer Finds Cigarette Butt in FamilyMart Bento, Brand Responds It Is Being Sent for Testing

A consumer in Shanghai reportedly bit into a cigarette butt while eating a shiitake mushroom and chicken rice bento purchased from a FamilyMart convenience store on September 10, triggering severe nausea and vomiting. The store involved reached a settlement with the customer and paid 118 yuan in compensation.

FamilyMart said it has stepped in to communicate with the customer and will send the affected meal to a third-party laboratory for testing. If the company is confirmed to be responsible, it will carry out rectification and hold relevant parties accountable, the brand said.

The incident is one of several recent complaints about foreign objects found in food products sold at FamilyMart. A sandwich at a Suzhou store was previously reported to contain an insect, and stores in multiple locations have also been flagged for failing to remove food items that were approaching their expiration dates.

As of February 2026, FamilyMart operates more than 3,000 stores across mainland China.