Free “hairy crabs” used to be one of the perks of government service in eastern China at this time of year – peak season for these hairy-limbed delicacies, one of China’s many currencies of corruption.

But, according to crab sellers around Yangcheng lake near Shanghai, home to some of China’s most famous crustacean restaurants, no government departments are staging hairy crab banquets this year. Big companies are struggling to get government officials even to accept crab gift packs, a common way of greasing the wheels of commerce in this crab-hungry part of the country.

An austerity drive was launched over a year ago by the leadership of Xi Jinping, which last week announced further measures after a plenary meeting of the Communist party central committee. This drive has savaged high-end restaurant revenues and suppressed sales of expensive traditional treats, from the grain spirit baijiu to mooncakes.