Just as holiday shoppers overseas despaired about finding gifts and Christmas decorations without the label 'Made in China', Shanghai consumers are powerless to escape foreign hyper-marts, ranging from the B&Q do-it-yourself chain to Wal-Mart.
In a British Christmas tale, the tabloid The People reported that one man purchased a '10-in-one' multi-tool, part of a collection endorsed by Britain's National Trust, which protects historic buildings. To his anger, he discovered the protector of British heritage was peddling a product made in the Middle Kingdom.
In Shanghai, the flip side of globalisation means convenience and clean, well-lighted stores, with little apparent worry that multinational corporations have taken over the retail world.
China's entry to the World Trade Organisation four years ago helped set off the rush. Under the terms of the agreement, Beijing pledged to scrap all geographic, quantitative and equity restrictions on retail operations from this month.
At a local Hymall, a Chinese chain partly owned by Britain's Tesco, a sign reading 'We bring you cheaper' expresses the correct sentiment. Homemakers, elderly citizens and an early wave of office workers packed the two floors of the store on a recent weekday. One man wheeled a new bicycle, its front basket crammed with even more goods, towards the check-out line. 'It's close to home and the choice is good. It's cheaper than small supermarkets like Lianhua and Hualian,' shopper Xue Deyu said, referring to two local Shanghai chains. Among some of the concessions to local tastes: individually wrapped live turtles. A worker explains the net bags are to prevent the doomed animals making a run for it.
The foreign influence extends further. Across town in the western district of Gubei, a branch of the French chain Carrefour attracts a well-off clientele looking for upmarket food and drink. Parkson's of Malaysia, an early arrival in the city, is known for reasonably priced clothing. OBI, the German brand that recently sold its mainland operations to the parent of B&Q, attracts home-improvement customers with a full-size greenhouse and massive selection of tools. And Wal-Mart has finally made it to Shanghai.