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Kandy Wong

A rising number of unmarried people in China caused by the coronavirus lockdowns is set to reshape the country’s consumption patterns, according to a new report.
The number of marriages in China hit a new low last year, with only 7.63 million registered, the lowest total since records began in 1986.
Chinese mothers also gave birth to just 10.62 million babies last year, representing an 11.5 per cent drop from 12 million in 2020, adding to China’s declining population worries.
People have postponed their marriage and pregnancy plans due to Covid uncertainty
Daxue Consulting
“People have postponed their marriage and pregnancy plans due to Covid uncertainty,” said the report from Daxue Consulting, which has offices in France, Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.
“China saw a spike in divorce after the 2020 lockdown, as couples were forced to spend more time together. Whether this trend repeats in 2022 remains to be seen.”
They added that companies are now targeting “singles” as a new consumption demographic because China’s population of unmarried people is increasing and more people are expected to live alone.
Food delivery services, ready-to-eat meal providers, dating apps, as well as health and wellness related activities, are expected to benefit from the change, they added.
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The pet industry, as cats and dogs are viewed as a cheaper investment than children that can provide companionship, and solo travelling, which provides a greater flexibility with regards to choice of transport, are also seen as other trends that could reshape China’s consumption market.
“The [consumption] market will be further segmented, and more diverse products and services will be developed, and more technology based, more personalised and more financially viable,” Pan Wang, a senior lecturer in Chinese and Asian studies at the University of New South Wales, told consulting firm Sensing Asia in December.
She added that China will follow a similar path to Japan, including the development of AI chatbots for singles, as a growing number of people have installed “their virtual partners” on their mobile phones and computers to alleviate loneliness.
The finding by Daxue Consulting also highlighted the consumption power of single women as a key driver of the economy, as they tend to spend more money on themselves, coupled with the declining marriage rate and the larger proportion of women in the workforce.
Our research reveals that single professional Chinese women are changing how others see them, not through protest or activism, but through their economic power
Chih-ling Liu
According to figures from employment website Zhaopin, the average monthly income for women has increased by 30 per cent over the past five years compared to just 22 per cent for men.
The finding said the top six most searched product categories by women on e-commerce platforms as of January included skincare products, kitchen appliances, cosmetics, dairy products, snacks and ready-to-eat-meals.
“Our research reveals that single professional Chinese women are changing how others see them, not through protest or activism, but through their economic power,” said Chih-ling Liu, a lecturer at Lancaster University’s Department of Marketing, in a blog post on The Conversation website in November.
“They are using consumerism to counteract long-standing stigma over their single status. The chance to spend money on themselves and often on gifts for their parents helps to positively redefine their single status as something to be proud of.”


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The number of marriages in China hit a new low last year, with only 7.63 million registered, the lowest total since records began in 1986
Report from Daxue Consulting found that firms are targeting ‘singles’ as a new consumption demographic as more people are expected to live alone



Firms in China are targeting ‘singles’ as a new consumption demographic as more people are expected to live alone after the number of marriages registered hit a new low last year.


China’s coronavirus-induced fall in marriages sees firms target singles as consumption landscape evolves

The number of marriages in China hit a new low last year, with only 7.63 million registered, the lowest total since records began in 1986 Report from Daxue Consulting found that firms are targeting ‘singles’ as a new consumption demographic as more people are expected to live alone

The number of marriages in China hit a new low last year, with only 7.63 million registered, the lowest total since records began in 1986

Report from Daxue Consulting found that firms are targeting ‘singles’ as a new consumption demographic as more people are expected to live alone