Briton sells $115 bottles of air to China

[webfact]

The smell of success? $115 bottles of British air sold to Chinese buyers
By Sheena McKenzie, CNN

(CNN)An idea dreamed up out of thin air appears to be earning one businessman some serious money.

British entrepreneur Leo De Watts, 27, has made thousands of dollars selling bottles of British country air to Chinese buyers, but the price alone -- £80 ($115) per bottle -- could knock the wind out of many customers.

De Watts says the 580 ml (about 20 oz) glass jars have been flying out the door, many headed for pollution-plagued Chinese cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

Full story: http://edition.cnn.com/2016/02/08/world/fresh-air-britain-china-bottles/index.html


-- CNN 2016-02-09

[trogers]

And they say that air is free...?

[WitawatWatawit]

Wouldn't Chinese customs have to open the bottles to test that the air isn't polluted or dangerous to health? What's Chinese for "Oh, sh*t!"

[JetsetBkk]

Looks like my mum's old pickle jars with wire bales.

Monty Python would be impressed with the video.

[MJP]

Price gouging. The least thing he could do is compress the air for that.

[Andaman Al]

Watch the Kids (but actually for adults) cartoon called 'The Lorax' and this is exactly how the world is with some gazillionaire selling bottles of fresh air. The idea is from Hollywood and not unique. This guy has watched the cartoon and has acted upon it.

[Berkshire]

Didn't some Canadian guys do this recently? The Chinese market for foreign bottled air must be saturated by now. By the way, it must take a certain amount of stupidity to shell out US$115 for a bottle of nothing. Even if it's just a gag gift, c'mon man.

[bark]

Didn't some Canadian guys do this recently? The Chinese market for foreign bottled air must be saturated by now. By the way, it must take a certain amount of stupidity to shell out US$115 for a bottle of nothing. Even if it's just a gag gift, c'mon man.

Yes, the guy bottled fresh mountain air, free of all pollution. Not polluted air from England.

[klauskunkel]

I tried once to sell one of my farts to Chanel. that business idea backfired... should've tried the Chinese...

[Steely Dan]

If someone broke wind in the bottling plant it would cost him a fortune.

Edit: Klaus, beat me to it by four minutes.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Steely Dan

[elgordo38]

Didn't some Canadian guys do this recently? The Chinese market for foreign bottled air must be saturated by now. By the way, it must take a certain amount of stupidity to shell out US$115 for a bottle of nothing. Even if it's just a gag gift, c'mon man.

What scares me is that these people are reproducing.

[lineofentry]

I can supply bottled 'Royal Windsor Air' for only $1,000 per liter.

[Andaman Al]

I can supply bottled 'Royal Windsor Air' for only $1,000 per liter.

Please PM me, I have the resources to start a joint venture

[soalbundy]

I would have thought that British air wasn't much better than Chinese air, probably snob value.

[Muhendis]

Scotch mist next?

[Basil B]

Being China how long before someone starts selling fake British Country Air, but there again you can not fake the smell of an English dairy farm after mucking out...

[Publicus]

Wouldn't Chinese customs have to open the bottles to test that the air isn't polluted or dangerous to health? What's Chinese for "Oh, sh*t!"

Ta ma da.

(Three distinct characters required for the precise meaning. Inflection on middle character.)

[lordpeps]

bottom of article

Aethaer follows in the footsteps of the Canadian company Vitality Air, which recently started selling canisters of fresh air from the Rocky Mountains to Chinese buyers.

Though at between $14 and $20 per canister, Canadian air seemingly costs a fraction of British breeze.

[Andaman Al]

I tried once to sell one of my farts to Chanel. that business idea backfired... should've tried the Chinese...

Nope, go back and speak to them. According to my WIfe, it all makes sense, she thinks Chanel bottled them.

bottom of article

Aethaer follows in the footsteps of the Canadian company Vitality Air, which recently started selling canisters of fresh air from the Rocky Mountains to Chinese buyers.

Though at between $14 and $20 per canister, Canadian air seemingly costs a fraction of British breeze.

But Canada's got much more of it

[Khon Kaen Dave]

Wheres Del Boy when we need him?

[wabothai]

Love to see them Chins drink it.