Wet market

A wet market is a place where fresh produce and freshly killed, and live animals are sold. The term differentiates between this type of market and dry markets, where only non-perishable foods and clothing, paper items, etc., are sold. These markets have existed for centuries and continue into the twenty-first century. In contemporary times, they are most commonly associated with areas with larger Asian populations but exist in many other areas as well. They are controversial because they have been linked to the spread of disease and acts of animal cruelty.

Background

Shopping for food in grocery stores is a relatively new practice. The earliest supermarkets, with a wide variety of food items sold in one location, emerged in the early twentieth century. Before that time, people went to specialized shops, such as butchers, bakeries, and produce stands, for each type of food they did not grow or produce themselves.

These specialized stores evolved from times when people who produced specific goods gathered in large marketplaces to sell their wares. Farmers who raised animals, grain, produce, and other food products met on regular dates so that people who did not or could not raise these items for themselves could purchase them. These types of public markets date back to ancient times and were especially popular in Europe during the Middle Ages between the fifth and fifteenth centuries.

Similar markets have existed in Asian countries since at least the 1500s. The term wet market first came into use in Asia, most likely in Singapore, in the 1970s and was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2016.

Overview

Wet markets are a loosely organized collection of stalls, sometimes covered but often open to the air, where individual merchants sell a wide variety of goods. In this way, they are similar to the farmers’ markets found in many countries. However, a few key characteristics differentiate wet markets. First, they sell mostly fresh or wet goods instead of packaged or dry goods. The name also references the fact that some of the fresh items are kept in open tanks of water, on ice, or routinely hosed down with water. Some sources also attribute the name to the fact that the floors are frequently sprayed to clear away excrement, blood, and other bodily fluids from the animals. All of these factors keep the floors and other surfaces in the market wet much of the time.

The markets sell a wide variety of fresh food products. Fresh fruit and vegetables are sold alongside freshly caught fish and seafood, live lobsters, freshly butchered beef and pork, and live animals intended for human consumption, especially poultry. The customer may wait while the animal is butchered and prepared for consumption, or may be given a ticket that matches one attached to the animal they have selected. The customer continues shopping and returns in a short time to collect the packaged meat.

Some wet markets, known more specifically as wildlife markets, also sell other animals for consumption. These can include turtles, snakes, lizards, civet cats, foxes, porcupines, peacocks, badgers, and pangolins. In some cases, wildlife market vendors and their exotic wares are incorporated into wet markets.

Wet markets exist worldwide. For instance, a number operate in New York City and other major cities. However, they are especially prevalent in rural locations in Asia and Africa where the local population does not own refrigerators. In these areas, wet markets provide one of the few sources of fresh meat because the animals are kept alive until purchased, eliminating the need for refrigeration.

Some people have a cultural preference for shopping in wet markets. They are particularly popular in Asian cultures, where they are a ready source of less expensive food and more accessible than food sold in grocery stores. Many markets have existed for a long time, and some people prefer shopping daily for what they need instead of making larger weekly shopping trips. Older people accustomed to shopping and cooking with freshly killed meat may prefer this taste to refrigerated or frozen meat. The markets are also a gathering place for people to meet with friends and neighbors. In addition, it is considered healthy or a sign of wealth in some cultures to eat meat from animals caught in the wild and not bred for food.

While many consider these markets a necessary staple of life, others have criticized them as sources of disease. The presence of live animals results in unsanitary waste that can promote the spread of disease. Additionally, the storage of wild-caught animals in close proximity to humans can create an ideal environment for the spread of zoonotic diseases, which are viruses, bacteria, or other pathogens that jump from animal hosts to humans.

As a result, wet markets have been cited as the source of several epidemics in the human population. These include the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2002, the H5N1 avian flu outbreak that began in 2003, and several others. One theory suggests the novel coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic in early 2020 had its early center in the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, China. This led to widespread calls for China and other countries to shut down wet markets to prevent future animal-to-human disease transmission. Although, it is important to note the exact origins of the COVID-19 pandemic remain subject to ongoing research.

China reportedly tried to restrict wet markets following previous disease outbreaks. However, people did not want to pay more for food in the alternative markets set up to replace the wet markets, and these efforts failed. The markets were also closed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic but reopened after the initial phase of infection. Officials considered restrictions and changes to how the markets operate to improve sanitation and reduce the likelihood of animal-borne illnesses infecting humans.

Many people oppose wet markets because of concerns about animal cruelty. They object to capturing wild animals for slaughter and to the conditions under which domesticated animals are raised and held in the markets, as well as the possibility that these markets could participate in the capture and sale of endangered animals. However, some people fear shutting down the markets would simply result in these products being sold on the illegal market with less scrutiny and no regulation.

Despite concerns over animal cruelty and the risk of zoonotic diseases, wet markets retained their popularity in the twenty-first century. Wet markets remained especially popular in Asian countries, where they continued to serve as a primary food source and area of social interaction. Modernization efforts, such as improving technology, implementing hygiene plans, and targeting younger generations, ensured the continued survival of wet markets despite concerns.

Bibliography

Beaubien, Jason. "Why They’re Called 'Wet Markets'—and What Health Risks They Might Pose." NPR, 31 Jan. 2020, www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/01/31/800975655/why-theyre-called-wet-markets-and-what-health-risks-they-might-pose. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.

Lin, Bing, et al. "A Better Classification of Wet Markets Is Key to Safeguarding Human Health and Biodiversity." The Lancet Planetary Health, vol. 5, no. 6, June 2021, pp. e386-e394.

"Live Animal 'Wet Markets' in New York City Face Protests Amid Coronavirus Pandemic." CBS News, 9 May 2020, www.cbsnews.com/news/coronavirus-pandemic-animal-wet-market-new-york-city-protests. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.

Morimer, Ian. "The Medieval Marketplace: A Time Traveller’s Guide to Shopping in the Middle Ages." BBC History Extra, 25 Nov. 2020, www.historyextra.com/period/medieval/a-time-travellers-guide-to-medieval-shopping. Accessed 2 June 2020.

"Oxford English Dictionary Just Added 'Wet Market'—But Why Are the Markets Called That?" South China Morning Post, 19 Oct. 2016, www.scmp.com/magazines/hk-magazine/article/2037933/oxford-english-dictionary-just-added-wet-market-why-are. Accessed 2 June 2020.

Ross, Ashley. “The Surprising Way a Supermarket Changed the World.” Time, 9 Sept. 2016, time.com/4480303/supermarkets-history. Accessed 2 June 2020.

Shesgreen, Dierdre. "'A Loaded Gun:' Wet Markets, Wildlife Trafficking Pose Threat for the Next Pandemic." USA Today, 19 May 2020, www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2020/05/16/coronavirus-wet-markets-wildlife-trade-pose-threat-next-pandemic/5189902002. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.

Westcott, Ben, and Serenetie Wang. "China’s Wet Markets Are Not What Some People Think They Are." CNN, 23 Apr. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/04/14/asia/china-wet-market-coronavirus-intl-hnk/index.html. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.

"What Is a Wet Market?" Guardian, 16 Apr. 2020, www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/apr/16/what-is-a-wet-market-coronavirus. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.

William-Ross, Lindsay. "What Is a Wet Market, and Did You Know You've Probably Shopped at One?" Tri-City News, 15 May 2020, www.tricitynews.com/local-news/what-is-a-wet-market-and-did-you-know-youve-probably-shopped-at-one-3122442. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024

Worobey, Michael, et al. "The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan Was the Early Epicenter of the COVID-19 Pandemic." Science, 2022, doi.org/abp8715. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.

Xiao, Xiao, et al. "Animal Sales from Wuhan Wet Markets Immediately Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic." Scientific Reports, vol. 11, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1-7, doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-91470-2. Accessed 29 Oct. 2024.