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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.
Spring Festival traffic. Photo: AFP
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.

Electric & new energy vehicles

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

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China property

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

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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Customers shop at a duty-free store in China’s southern Hainan province. Chinese travellers spend more at airports than any other passengers in Asia, according to a new study. Photo: Getty Images
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.

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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Workers produce lithium batteries in Qinyang, central China’s Henan province. Photo: Xinhua
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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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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Heineken beers are becoming a popular choice for stay-at-home drinkers in China, according to the end of year sales results. China was one of the top three contributors to Heineken’s net profit in 2025. Photo: Reuters
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.

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.

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.

Customers look at gold rings at a jewellery store in Shanghai. Photo: Reuters
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.

Shoppers at Sam’s Club in Hangzhou on February 1, 2026. The retailer has introduced products catering to local tastes in the days leading up to the Lunar New Year holiday. Photo: Weibo
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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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.

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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.

Beyond sales appointments, luxury watchmakers are building deeper client relationships with new hospitality concepts. Photo: Handout
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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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’.

A Meituan drone for food delivery takes off from a drone delivery camp near Shenzhen Bay Park. Photo: VCG/VCG via Getty Images
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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China technology

Opinion | ‘Becoming Chinese’ memes reflect a world shaped by China’s ascent

The memes are really about how deeply global digital life is embedded in Chinese-built systems – and how comfortable young people are with that.

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China's population

Glimmer of hope? Why China’s marriage uptick could spark 2026 birth rebound

Double-digit jump in registration rate, boosted by policy and cultural tradition, offers modest upturn, but demographers are wary of weak fertility intentions.

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A couple participates in a group wedding in August, in China’s Guangdong province. Photo: Getty Images
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s efforts to control EV price war sees carmakers paying vendors quicker

Only a handful of the nearly 50 mainland China-based EV builders have been able to turn a profit amid the price wars.

An aerial drone photo taken on January 14, 2026, shows domestically produced vehicles for export at Yantai Port in east China’s Shandong Province. Photo: Xinhua
Thailand

Why Thailand is cutting back the sugar in coffee and tea

With Thais averaging 21 teaspoons of sugar a day – triple WHO limits – officials urge cafes to cut syrup to lower diabetes and obesity risks.

Hong Kong stock market

Sudden closure of Chinese restaurant chain’s outlets leaves diners in limbo

Operator Shanghai XNG Holdings suspends operations at 10 branches on the mainland, saying the closures are part of a strategic realignment.

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