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Retailing

Retailing
Latest news and features on retailing with a particular focus on Hong Kong, mainland China and Asia, covering consumer goods and services, retail strategies, shopping habits, sales results and trends.
Tea-drink sales grew 6.4 per cent in 2025, a sharp drop from annualised growth of more than 20 per cent over the past two decades. Photo: Shutterstock
China’s private sector

China’s tea-drink shops thirst for profits as price wars dry up prospects

‘I am learning a hard lesson of how involution can destroy my business,’ a Shanghai shop operator says.

Fashion

Feng Chen Wang on 10 years in fashion and ‘Chinamaxxing’ before it was cool

China consumption

China’s luxury spending seen boosting global sales in 2026 despite headwinds

Tianjin

Japanese chains lose ground in north China as competition and deflation bite

Store closures in Beijing and Tianjin highlight mounting pressure from domestic rivals amid shifting consumer habits.

Analysts say Japanese retailers must adapt more quickly to China’s evolving retail landscape. Photo: Shutterstock
Hong Kong stock market

China’s Pop Mart struggles despite buy-backs as Labubu reliance sparks concerns

Toymaker’s shares have fallen nearly 50 per cent since February as investors weigh slowing overseas growth and dependence on flagship line.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong retail sales jump nearly 12% in first 2 months of year

Visitor arrivals also rose by 17 per cent to 14.31 million in first three months, tourism minister reveals.

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Fashion

How London brand Chopova Lowena, and its cult carabiner skirt, came to be

Harry Styles, Madonna and Gen Z cool girls all love this viral brand – which is inspired by everything from Bulgarian folklore to rock climbing and Scottish kilts.

Laura Lowena-Irons and Emma Chopova at Joyce Harbour City in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong stock market

Pop Mart shares dive despite soaring profit as investors fear Labubu dependence

Labubu and The Monsters series make up 38 per cent of 2025 revenue, while conservative growth guidance for 2026 weighs on confidence.

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China consumption

China consumer firms post strong results but analysts warn recovery may lag

Hong Kong-listed consumer firms report strong results but analysts say the gains reflect structural shifts rather than broad recovery.

Electric & new energy vehicles

3 Chinese EV makers raise prices – but demand slowdown could force reversal

Xiaomi, Chery and FAW adjust prices amid surging chip and raw material costs, but analysts say soft sales could undermine gains.

Xiaomi is the latest EV maker to adjust pricing of some models. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong economy

Luxury brands bet on growth as well-heeled tourists flock to Hong Kong events

Over 60 new brands set to join upscale Tsim Sha Tsui shopping centre as part of tenant overhaul covering about 30 per cent of its retail space.

K11 Musea in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong property

‘Upstairs’ moves downstairs: Hong Kong shops head to street level as rents fall

Retailers and restaurants adjust to lower rents and weaker demand, with operators expanding at ground level and testing pop-up formats.

Mainland China

Pop Mart’s Labubu headed to big screen in collaboration with Sony Pictures

The Chinese toymaker’s star character will appear in a film co-written and helmed by the director of Paddington and Wonka.

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Fashion

In their words: Mimi Tang defines 20 years of setting trends in Hong Kong

Formerly at Kering overseeing Gucci, Saint Laurent and more luxury brands, Tang recalls Louis Vuitton’s fashion show in Hong Kong, and names her style icons.

Mimi Tang, pictured at the SCMP office in November 2021, believes that Hong Kong’s position as a style capital is partly down to its rich mix of cultures. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
Mainland China

Guess says it will shut all mainland China stores amid retail rethink

US fashion brand tells customers it will close all mainland China stores by end of March as analysts cite weak localisation, strategy gaps.

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A Guess outlet in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China. After two decades, the fashion outlet says it is calling it quits in mainland China. Photo: Getty Images
China GDP

China’s economy starts 2026 strongly as retail sales, investment rise

Before the Iran energy crisis and latest round of China-US trade talks, retail spending grew 2.8 per cent while fixed-asset investment increased 1.8 per cent.

China property

China mall shuffle: as EVs exit, who’s filling the ground-floor showrooms?

New demand for mall space comes from brands riding fresh trends, including Unitree Robotics, Pop Mart and Lululemon.

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Chow Tai Fook

Bling it on: Chow Tai Fook’s US$115,000 gold AirPods case sparks online buzz

Gold gadgets and hair clips ignite discussion online as the jeweller looks to the ultra-rich to set the gold standard for luxury spending.

Chow Tai Fook’s diamond-studded gold AirPods case is priced at 788,800 yuan. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong property

Hong Kong developers Swire, Wharf report profit growth amid valuation pressure

Swire’s underlying profit rose on asset disposals, while falling property valuations weighed on results at both Swire and Wharf.

Beauty

Romi Beauty’s founders on creating multitasking products for Asian skin

Arissa Cheo, Yoyo Cao and Lin Ting sat down with Style as the Singaporean make-up and skincare brand lands at Sephora in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong property

Middle East tensions add uncertainty to Hong Kong retail rents, Wharf REIC says

The landlord of Harbour City and Times Square says retail recovery remains fragile, with higher mall traffic failing to boost spending.

Harbour City generated HK$9.22 billion in revenue in 2025, up 1 per cent from a year earlier. Photo: Jelly Tse
China deflation

China’s inflation rises after holiday spending spree. Is 2% target reachable?

The consumer price index rose 0.8 per cent in the first two months of 2026, though analysts remain concerned about long-term deflation risks.

Shoppers stand near a Chinese New Year display in central Beijing. Photo: AP
China property

China’s shoppers head for suburban outlets, a bright spot in retail property

Outlet spending nearly doubles to around US$36 billion over five years, prompting investment surge while urban malls suffer high vacancies.

Fashion

Jeff Staple, designer of the Nike Pigeon, talks hype, sneakers and streetwear

The streetwear icon just opened a Hong Kong store and launched a new line with Kenji Wong – and once pursued his first-ever collaboration with Brooks for 8 years.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s retail sales rise 5.5% in January as tourists loosen purse strings

Census and Statistics Department says retail sales for January worth HK$37.3 billion, marking ninth straight month of growth since May 2025.

A shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong property

McDonald’s sells Hong Kong shop outside disposal plan for US$11.9 million

Latest sale of Hong Kong restaurant site by the Chicago-based food chain reflects a retail valuation reset as rents stay subdued.

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McDonald’s Hong Kong announced that from January 1, the average salary increase for restaurant management groups will be 3 per cent. However, the company is also selling off restaurants across Hong Kong as the retail property sector remains under pressure. Photo: Sam Tsang
Smartphones

Will Apple’s low-cost iPhone 17e make a splash in China’s smartphone market?

Presales for the new entry-level iPhone start on Wednesday, with a wide release set for March 11.

Australia

The View | 5 reasons Australia’s physical retail is uniquely resilient

Several factors contribute to the outperformance of the Australian retail sector, including its relative insulation from digital disruption.

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