Sheung Shui prices soar as mainland traders buy in bulk
Cross-border flood of traders into Sheung Shui inflates cost of shop items by up to 20 per cent
The average price of everyday goods in Sheung Shui is 10 to 20 per cent higher than in nearby districts as mainlanders flood in to snap up products to take across the border.
The town has been at the sharp end of an influx of traders who buy goods in bulk in Hong Kong to dodge high taxes on the mainland. It's also a popular with mainland residents with multi-entry permits who stock up on goods for personal use or for sale online.
Tensions spilled over at the weekend, with clashes at a protest by residents of the town over the effects of the influx.
Reporters visited at least five dispensaries in each of three areas of the New Territories, Sheung Shui, Tai Po and Sha Tin. Prices of products popular with mainlanders, including infant milk formula, Chinese medicine, shampoo, toothpaste and the health drink Yakult, were higher in Sheung Shui.
One brand of infant milk formula sold in Sheung Shui for 10 per cent more than in the other two districts. Chinese medicine, particularly ointment for the joints, was noticeably pricier in the border town: it cost HK$38 there but only HK$28 in Tai Po and Sha Tin dispensaries.
As for food and drinks, lunch sets that cost about HK$27 to HK$35 in Tai Po were about 20 per cent higher in Sheung Shui.