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And baby milk is in massive demand, a hangover from 2008 when melamine-spiked milk killed six babies and left hundreds of thousands sick. Chinese parents have been distrustful of local milk ever since; more recently, they are even shunning multinational manufacturers’ milk that is made in China – giving rise to enterprising students buying up the stuff in the UK and selling it online in China.

Danone itself followed suit last month,premiumngifts hong kong gifts and premium selling Dutch made formula on the TMall portal – presumably figuring that if there was a trade to be done, it might as well scoop up some of the margin.

And there is big margin to be made: ‘smuggled’ cans regularly go for $35 and premium ranges can comfortably exceed $50 – fair risk when the Customs allowance in Hong Kong is 1.8kg and smugglers exceeding that face jail.

Which is why it is not such a bad present after all.premiumngifts gift and premium fair

Sure, the taste isn’t a patch on Scotch whisky. But just think of the online auction recycling potential in a commodity that is going up faster than gold is falling.