Manufacturers switch 'Made in China' for 'Made in PRC' in bid to boost sales abroad

It's no secret that 'Made in China' doesn't necessarily have the best connotations worldwide. Endless food scandals, labor controversies and faulty products have dragged the reputation of Chinese-made goods to an all-time low.

So how can China win over consumers abroad who scorn the country's goods over health, safety or social concerns? Enforce sanitation standards? Improve workers' conditions? 

Don't be ridiculous. 

Instead, manufacturers have come up with an ingenious feint to throw off consumers in Japan: change their labels from 'Made in China' to 'Made in PRC.' Shoppers who may not be aware of the English acronym for the People's Republic of China would be none the wiser. 

According to lawyers in Japan, the move sits in a legal grey area. If 'Made in USA' is acceptable, there's no reason why 'Made in PRC' shouldn't be - at least as far as manufactured goods go. Food regulations, however, are more exacting and require labels to be printed in Japanese.