China's gourmet crab industry has become the latest victim of Communist authorities' two-year corruption crackdown after high-end spirits and luxury cars, as government officials shun the pricey crustacean.
The arrival of freshwater "hairy crab" — a delicacy named for the bristles on its claws — on the market every autumn has long been eagerly awaited.
But now its golden roe has lost some lustre as anti-graft and austerity campaigns launched by China's leader Xi Jinping after he came to power in late 2012 show little sign of abating.
China is celebrated as the world's largest luxury market, but its corruption hunt is having unintended consequences across multiple industries, slowing consumption.
Management consultancy Bain & Company predicted Tuesday that luxury spending in China will shrink two percent this year due to "greater controls" and "changing consumption patterns."
