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Consumers

Consumers
News about consumer spending and shifting shopping habits from around the world with a focus on developments in Hong Kong and mainland China.
Anta has provided professional gear for 13 Chinese national teams during February’s Winter Olympics, including for freestyle skier Eileen Gu. Photo: AP
Retailing

Warm winter no match: China’s sportswear sector posts surprise growth

Policy support, Chinese New Year demand and Winter Olympics exposure lift China’s sportswear makers, with Li Ning and Anta leading gains.

Two Sessions 2026

China’s pivot from GDP obsession sparks cadre confusion, tests local governance

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Pop Mart

Pop Mart’s Merodi Hong Kong debut highlights challenges of sustaining IP success

China travel

Why China’s travellers spent little, despite rise in Chinese New Year trips

The country logged a record 596 million domestic trips over the extended holiday, but consumers are still reluctant to loosen their purse strings.

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A lion dance troupe performs for tourists during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: EPA
US-China relations

Immigration slows, but America’s appetite for ethnic groceries keeps growing

Weee, now topping $1 billion in annualized revenue, says demand for Asian and Latino foods is spreading well beyond immigrant communities.

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China consumption

China’s weak consumption gets Lunar New Year boost

An 8.6 per cent increase in Lunar New Year spending is a rare bright spot in Chinese efforts to bolster domestic demand.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Low-cost models dominate China EV sales, surpassing Tesla and BYD

Geely’s and Wuling’s sub-100,000 yuan battery EVs ranked first and second in mainland China last year, each selling over 400,000 units.

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Geely’s Xingyuan was the top-selling EV on the mainland last year. Photo: Weibo
China property

Empty shops, falling rents: commercial property suffers in China retail slump

China’s key shopping street rents have fallen to 2018 levels as cautious consumers cut spending and landlords lower prices to fill vacancies.

China travel

Chinese shoppers are Asia’s biggest airport spenders, study finds

China’s travellers outspend even their Indian and Saudi peers, splashing twice the regional average on luxury goods, airport retail study says.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s EV insurers move towards profitability on higher premiums, AI adoption

Chinese insurers are turning to AI as the technology cuts labour costs and enhances pricing accuracy.

Mainland insurers posted a combined loss of 5.7 billion yuan from underwriting EV policies in 2024. Photo: Reuters
China economy

Video | China bets big on its emerging ‘ice and snow’ economy

The emerging sector is tipped to be worth 1.5 trillion yuan (US$217 billion) in 2030.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Speed bump ahead: rising battery costs nudge Chinese drivers towards hybrids

Higher lithium prices and the end of incentives are reshaping China’s EV market, with hybrids emerging as a more practical option for many.

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Singapore

Is Singapore’s plan to regulate blind boxes ‘paternalistic’ or ‘harm reduction’?

The mystery surrounding the purchase of blind boxes has prompted concerns of gambling-style risks faced by consumers, especially minors.

China consumption

China targets foreign tourists for Lunar New Year ‘consumption feast’

Beijing sees huge untapped potential in spending by inbound travellers as it strives to drive up demand over the crucial nine-day holiday.

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Tourists from Russia take selfies on the Bund in Shanghai. China is keen to drive up spending by inbound travellers over the Lunar New Year. Photo: Xinhua
Artificial intelligence

Colour matters: how AI is changing car premiums and services in China

Car colour, driving habits and location influence insurance premiums, according to a digital solutions provider using ByteDance’s AI model.

Rush hour in Beijing. White vehicles are less likely to be involved in an accident, according to data from a digital solutions provider. Photo: AFP
China economy

Budweiser and Heineken face polar opposite fates in China as punters stay home

Beer drinkers in China are veering away from bars and high-end restaurants, instead opting for cheaper stay-at-home options, analysts say.

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China property

Sofa so bad: China’s home-furnishing sector hits a do-or-die stretch

Falling home prices and relentless price competition are forcing small decor firms into a battle for survival.

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Indonesia

Can Indonesia’s US$762 million Ramadan stimulus boost spending and growth?

The package, which includes fare cuts and food handouts, is meant to keep people travelling and shopping, and help shore up early-growth momentum.

A trader serves a customer at Lam Dingin traditional market, ahead of Ramadan in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, on February 9. Photo: EPA
China economy

Strong Lunar New Year demand fuels China’s gold jewellery market

Retailers offer small discounts to spur holiday sales but are set to raise prices after the festival, as investment banks issue bullish outlooks.

Retailing

Sam’s Club cracks China market formula even as foreign retailers shut shop

The warehouse retailer opened 10 new stores in 2025, accelerating expansion in smaller cities like Zhangjiagang and Yangzhou.

China's economic recovery

China’s Xi prioritises ‘AI-plus’ and consumer spending to counter economic risks

Previously unreleased comments by Xi urge income growth and tech breakthroughs, potentially setting stage for measures ahead of March’s parliamentary meetings.

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A humanoid robot is pictured, with a big AI logo on the ceiling, at the 2025 Global Industrial Internet Conference in China’s Liaoning province on September 6. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong society

Hongkonger denied refund despite HK$170,000 hair transplant ‘falling out’ in a year

Consumer Council warns against exaggerated claims of effectiveness after surge in complaints over scalp inflammation, artificial hair detachment.

Complaints related to hair transplant, hair growth, and hair and scalp care services reached 33, 19 and 13, respectively, between 2023 and 2025. Photo: Shutterstock
Timepieces

How these luxury watchmakers are going beyond boutiques

Luxury watchmakers from Richard Mille to Vacheron Constantin and Jaeger-LeCoultre now offer homelike spaces for deeper client connections.

China consumption

China’s Spring Festival box office faces plot twist after 2025 smashed records

Home-grown films lead the charge but fail to meet the phenomenal success of last year’s Ne Zha 2, which attracted record-breaking crowds.

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Pop Mart

Pop Mart balances boom and bust: can Labubu’s leap match Molly’s momentum?

As Labubu’s meteoric rise cools, Molly’s longevity highlights the challenge Pop Mart faces in turning hype into stable intellectual property.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
United States

US inflation cools more than expected, kindling hopes of Fed rate cut

The consumer price index rose 2.4 per cent year-on-year, the lowest level since May, though affordability concerns still weigh on households.

A shopper looks at vegetables in a grocery store in Schaumburg, Illinois, on Monday. Photo: AP
Meituan

Meituan warns of US$3.5 billion loss amid intense food delivery price war

Food delivery giant expects losses to continue into at least the first quarter of 2026 ‘due to ongoing competition’.

China consumption

China overhauls CPI basket, with never-before-seen unveiling of its composition

Beijing’s five-year recalibration aims to better reflect consumption, as policymakers shift weight away from food and housing.

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