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Consumers

Officers from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department patrol a street in Mong Kok. Photo: Jelly Tse

Hong Kong authorities arrest 13 unlicensed hawkers for illegal sale of food

Vendors sold products such as sushi, bread and canned products that had expired or were from unknown sources, authorities say.

Can a flurry of winter tourism, sports help thaw China’s economy?

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Vietnam threatens to block Chinese retailers Shein and Temu over licences

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From Ikea to Muji, foreign brands still bet big on Chinese consumers

Lifestyle-product retailers are investing in new stores in China, as richer consumers continue to splurge on quality imports.

Ikea and other global lifestyle-goods retailer are opening new stores in China. Photo: AFP

‘Huge opportunity for us’: can Nepal cash in on China’s tourism campaign?

Nepal should introduce more incentives and use Chinese social media platforms to promote itself to bring in visitors, industry players say.

Alibaba gives sellers a sweeter deal as Singles’ Day switch-up bears fruit

China’s largest e-commerce firm was slipping in the war for consumers’ wallets. Then it reshaped its relationship with merchants.

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Not ‘whatever it takes’: China’s stimulus strategy seen as long and intact

Beijing’s reluctance to use strong measures to rapidly turn tide of sluggish economy keeps markets, consumers and analysts waiting in wonder.

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Illustration: Brian Wang

Southeast Asia’s e-commerce gold rush draws Chinese giants

The region’s e-commerce market is set to double by 2030, a new report finds.

Bulgari banks on Chinese consumers to fuel luxury growth as economy improves

The Italian fashion brand in the LVMH stable bets on a recovery in the next two years with a plan to open more mainland stores.

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Income, job woes still weigh heavy as China targets consumption in 5 key cites

Events will take place in Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Tianjin and Chongqing in November to coincide with China’s annual Singles’ Day event.

Women walk out from a fashion boutique near a display promoting the upcoming China popular e-commerce sales, the ‘Singles’ Day’ global online shopping festival, at a shopping mall in Beijing. Photo: AP

Apple offers Indonesia US$10 million sweetener to reverse its iPhone ban

Indonesia’s iPhone ban is an example of the pressure Prabowo Subianto’s government is putting on multinationals to boost local manufacturing.

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Indonesia banned the sale of Apple’s iPhone 16 citing a lack of local investment. Photo: Apple/TNS

Alibaba’s Black Friday alternative hits US with AliExpress Singles’ Day sales

Alibaba’s international e-commerce platform is kicking off Singles’ Day sales in the US on Friday and runs through November 18.

Start-up spurs Xiaohongshu-ready ‘experiences’ in Hong Kong

Strategy also seeks to capture anticipated growth in visits by Western tourists who spend more per capita.

China’s price-conscious shoppers, hungry for luxury goods, jump on weak yen

Chinese shoppers are opting to make purchases of luxury goods outside China, helped out by sustained depreciation of the Japanese yen.

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Shoppers walk out of a Louis Vuitton store in Tokyo’s Omotesando fashion district. Photo: EPA-EFE

Hong Kong retail sales fall for seventh straight month on year-on-year basis

Provisional figures show sales of HK$29.6 billion in September, down 6.9 per cent year on year.

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Hong Kong’s retail outlets have been struggling for months, Photo: Nora Tam

Chinese smartphone brands beat Apple to the AI punch at home

With no word on when Apple Intelligence will arrive in China, domestic players from Xiaomi to Honor are touting their own AI features.

Editorial | Industrial profits slide highlights China’s need for balanced economy

Amid mixed signals on the health of the economy, President Xi Jinping calls on top officials to keep China on track to meet annual growth target of about 5 per cent.

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Xiaomi unveils US$114,000 Ferrari lookalike in luxury car venture

The SU7 Ultra has drawn both scepticism and admiration from consumers in the world’s largest EV market.

Xiaomi unveils its latest EV, SU7 Ultra, at an event in Beijing on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

China’s Miniso aims to expand to 10,000 shops by 2027 in global push

Retailer sees US and Europe as key markets as sales in stores outside mainland China notch 43 per cent growth.

Alibaba’s Singles’ Day sales see strong demand for designer toys, pet products

Popular merchandise this year include niche products like Jellycat, a British soft toy brand that is gaining popularity among young Chinese.

Why are young Chinese crazy about ‘blind box’ emotional consumption?

Young consumers’ willingness to spend on blind box toys contrasts with wider retail gloom.

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A Pop Mart vending machine in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. Photo: AFP

Transformers: the rise of smartphone makers in China’s EV arena

Thanks to an advanced supply chain, companies with no history making cars are challenging for supremacy in China’s EV market.

Henry Wong

On your bike? China’s e-bikes charm some, but not everyone is along for the ride

China’s e-bikes offer a budget and environmentally friendly option for consumers, but governments and competitors abroad have raised concerns.

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China counts on sales season to coax cautious consumers into spending spree

Singles’ Day – China’s largest retail event – began early this year, prompting record courier activity as consumers pounce on deals.

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Shein’s profits said to plunge 70%, adding uncertainty to IPO

Slowing earnings growth is weighing on the company’s plan for a public market debut in London.

Shein reportedly saw sales and profits growth slow significantly in the first six months of 2024. Photo: Reuters

Editorial | Retail woes call for new ways to keep Hong Kong’s customers satisfied

As another two chains pull out of Hong Kong and others reduce outlets, stores not afraid of change deserve support.

A Garrett Popcorn Shops outlet is seen in Harbour City at Tsim Sha Tsui. The firm announced it would end its business in Hong Kong this month. Photo: Sam Tsang

Why do people in Macau live longer than nearly anywhere else? We asked the locals

Only Hong Kong enjoys a longer life expectancy than Macau, so what’s the secret? Less oil, less salt and plenty of exercise, of course

Vietnamese lobsters claw back to prominence in China after temporary dip

Following a sharp decline last year, China’s imports of lobsters from Vietnam have returned to healthy levels with the same speed.

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Consumers
News about consumer spending and shifting shopping habits from around the world with a focus on developments in Hong Kong and mainland China.
last updated:
27 August, 2024
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