A delivery error by Chinese grocery platform Hema Fresh has sparked widespread concern after toxic narcissus bulbs were mistakenly delivered as edible fresh lilies, causing a grandmother and her grandson in Beijing to be hospitalised.
According to Jin Yun News, the incident occurred on Jan 2 when a woman surnamed Zou ordered fresh lilies via the Hema app to prepare soup. While she was out exercising, her mother received the delivery and cooked the ingredients.
After drinking the soup, Zou’s mother and young son developed symptoms including headache, dizziness, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. They were taken to hospital, where blood tests showed abnormally high white blood cell counts. They were initially treated for gastroenteritis and discharged.
Suspecting food poisoning caused by spoiled ingredients, Zou later examined the packaging and discovered that the item delivered was not edible lily bulbs but narcissus bulbs, which are used for planting and are highly toxic. Online research confirmed that narcissus poisoning can be life-threatening.
Zou immediately sent her mother and son to Beijing Anzhen Hospital, where doctors said there was no antidote for narcissus poisoning and advised immediate transfers to Beijing 307 Hospital and Beijing Children’s Hospital. Emergency doctors later said the grandmother was fortunate to have consumed only a small amount, as larger quantities could have been fatal. As more than five hours had passed, the toxins had already been absorbed, leaving doctors only able to attempt detoxification. Both patients were discharged early the next morning.
Zou lodged a complaint through the Hema app, but said the company only contacted her the following day to apologise. Hema has since agreed to cover medical expenses and discuss further compensation.
However, Zou said she is preparing legal action after failing to reach an agreement. She claimed that she initially proposed compensation of 3.75 million yuan, later lowering it to 480,000 yuan, but alleged that Hema was only willing to offer 70,000 yuan and refused to issue a public apology or app-wide warning about toxic products.
In response, Hema said on Jan 26 that it had formed a special task force to handle the matter and hoped to reach a private settlement.
An academic from Yunnan Dali University warned that narcissus bulbs are often mistaken for onions or lilies. He stressed that all parts of the plant are toxic and that ingestion or contact with sap or pollen can cause poisoning. There is no specific antidote, and severe cases may result in dehydration or even death.
