Choose a hairy crab and you’re also buying its origin story. The seller tells you where it came from. You’re trying to sort out dinner. Asking the crab for proof gets you nowhere.

That’s where the paperwork comes in. Hong Kong Customs and FEHD checked origin documents and health certificates at shops. Their October 15 notice reported 42 shops inspected, with no irregularities found. A reassuring result for anyone buying.

The funny bit is how much checking sits behind that little sales pitch. A place name helps sell the crab. Officers check whether the documents support it. Fair enough. If the birthplace is part of the pitch, the seller should be able to back it up.

Customs also used its big-data analytics system to check online crab sellers’ compliance with trade description rules. So if you’re ordering dinner through a screen, those origin claims face scrutiny too. The seller still has to answer for the description before the crab reaches your table.