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根据民政部的数据，中国内地的“未婚”人口（传统上在前几代人来说应当已经结婚的群体）到2017年底已经达到2亿人。数量已经相当于俄罗斯和英国全部人口的总和。企业发现从数量庞大的年轻和能够自由消费的单身大军中获利的潜在前景也就不足为奇了。 With diners gathered around cauldrons of boiling soup, dropping meat and vegetables into the broth, hot pot is a quintessentially communal Chinese dish. But the country’s dominant chain has a new weapon to attract single diners: stuffed bears. 食客们簇拥在一锅热汤旁，将荤素菜肴放在底料中煮熟，火锅已经公认成为中国美食的精华。但是中国的火锅连锁巨头有了一种新手段去吸引单身食客用餐：毛绒熊。 The introduction of large plush toys to accompany solo diners in the 200 outlets of the Haidilao chain highlights the efforts of businesses in China to take advantage of a demographic shift creating a rising number of single consumers. 200家海底捞火锅店用毛绒玩具陪伴单身食客用餐，这凸显了中国人口结构变化已催生出众多单身食客，商家纷纷努力抓住这种变化带来的商机。 “They help people feel less lonely,” said Wang Ping, a waitress at a Haidilao in Shanghai, suggesting the Financial Times choose between a large teddy bear and a stuffed yellow chicken. | 
