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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.
People walk along a street in Shanghai on Tuesday. Households in China are showing a weak appetite for taking on debt. Photo: EPA
China consumption

China credit data shows demand dip, household deleveraging amid weak investment

But while traditional industries are mired in a downturn, hi-tech firms look to expand – many through direct financing.

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Fashion

Gildo Zegna on the past and future of his family’s menswear label – interview

Consumer protection in Hong Kong

Watchdog urges clearer terms as complaints about hotels near 1,000 annually

Consumer protection in Hong Kong

Claw machine operators told to get a grip on player complaints after 760% jump

Consumer Council data shows number of grievances involving claw machines has risen from 16 to 138 over three years.

A man tries his luck at a claw machine outlet in Mong Kok. Photo: Dickson Lee
China consumption

China summons executives of Walmart-owned Sam’s Club over ‘food-safety issues’

Members-only supermarket chain urged to ‘strictly fulfil’ its corporate responsibilities.

Mainland China

World Cup kicks China’s summer travel market into extra time

From private-box tickets in Houston to luxury hotel viewing suites in China, football fans are driving a boom in travel and hospitality.

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China’s private sector

Natural diamond firms turn to blockchain traceability amid lab-grown competition

The Gemological Institute of America is set to acquire a stake in Tracr, which has developed a blockchain platform to trace diamond origin.

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A collection of rough and polished diamonds. Photo: Handout
Electric & new energy vehicles

EVs capture two-thirds of China’s car market in record-breaking week

Despite subsidy cuts, electric vehicles reached a new sales milestone in mainland China as petrol-powered rivals continued to lose ground.

China trade

China’s BYD challenges iconic auto giants as hybrid demand surges in Germany

A three-fold jump in BYD’s German registrations highlights shift towards lower-tariff models, as company chairman says ‘the worst is over’.

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E-commerce

As 618 shopping frenzy grows, Beijing warns e-commerce giants over price tactics

Officials summoned Alibaba, JD.com, Pinduoduo, Douyin and RedNote over marketing practices, underscoring official concern about subsidy wars.

Workers sort express packages at a distribution centre in Lianyungang in China's Jiangsu Province. The express delivery industry is ramping up operations ahead of the '618' online shopping festival. Photo: Getty Image
Electric & new energy vehicles

BYD powers past Geely as oil shock charges up global EV demand

Strong overseas demand for battery-powered cars helped BYD recover from a first-quarter setback and retake pole position.

Shanzhen-based EV assembler BYD lost its title as mainland China’s largest carmaker in the first quarter of 2026, but has since rebounded as rising oil prices powered demand for electric vehicles. Photo: Reuters
China inflation

China’s factory price jump contrasts with muted consumer inflation

Higher oil costs and the AI boom are driving up producer prices, while weak domestic demand is weighing on consumer prices.

China-EU relations

Opinion | EU threat of trade war against China is a strategic farce

The EU is mistaken in believing it still has economic leverage. A trade war will not save an economy in decline.

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China inflation

China’s consumer prices see May uptick as oil shock inflates factory-gate costs

The mild increase in consumer inflation, attributed to higher AI demand and global price fluctuations, fell short of market expectations.

A man purchases groceries at a shop in Shanghai. Photo: EPA
Mergers & Acquisitions

China’s fast-changing consumers force MNCs to adapt via local alliances

General Mills and Mölnlycke follow Starbucks, Burger King in forging partnerships to better tap local market insights.

People buy coffee at a mobile Starbucks set up next to a historic building in Beijing on January 30, 2025. Photo: AFP
Artificial intelligence

DeepSeek’s bargain AI triggers price war across China’s tech sector

DeepSeek’s pricing shock is rippling through China’s AI sector, pressuring rivals and unsettling cloud providers.

Hong Kong property

Why Hong Kong’s lofty wealth status matters to high-end malls

Positive trend comes from a surge in affluent spending, with new flagship projects reinforcing the city’s role as a global brand magnet.

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US-China relations

How Chinese drink chains are testing the limits of soft power

New tea and coffee brands from China are winning customers across America, but their broader influence remains unclear.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
Electric & new energy vehicles

Why foreign marques are struggling to keep pace with Chinese EV demand

Domestic brands surge on fresh incentives and better batteries, while foreign carmakers fail to sustain their earlier market share.

China travel

China, South Korea agree to more flights per week as tourism to Japan dwindles

The additional flights are the first increase between the two countries since before the Covid pandemic.

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Hong Kong economy

Opinion | For airport city to take off, Hong Kong must learn from 11 Skies failure

When the market the project was designed for has largely disappeared, the more useful question is whether it can adapt.

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11 Skies is a 3.8 million sq ft mixed‑use retail and entertainment complex at Skycity near Hong Kong International Airport in Chek Lap Kok, seen here on May 27. Photo: Sam Tsang
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s BYD, Chery chart 80% growth overseas as EV demand spikes

‘Eye-catching’ numbers show efforts paying off amid growing brand recognition abroad and tepid sales at home, analysts say.

A shopper passes a display of Chinese-made cars, including models from Chery and Omoda, in a shopping centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 23. Photo: Reuters
Electric & new energy vehicles

Tesla’s China sales surge to 2026 high, but rivals crowd the rear-view mirror

Tesla’s China sales rebounded in May on financing incentives and stronger demand, but local competitors are gaining momentum.

Architecture and design

Marcel Wanders: from knotted chairs to Moooi’s new Shanghai showroom – interview

The Dutch designer champions fun over mere functionality as he introduces the Moooi brand to China and aims to explore cultural individuality.

China’s private sector

The big scoop: lemon tea chain to revamp Haagen-Dazs’ struggling China business

General Mills is offloading the ice cream brand’s mainland China stores, as foreign businesses revamp models amid heated domestic competition.

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Haagen-Dazs currently operates nearly 200 stores in mainland China. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong retail sales rise 8.6% in April, but ‘full recovery has yet to emerge’

Retail sales for first four months of 2026 up 11.3 per cent from the same period last year.

People at a shopping centre in Mong Kok. Photo: Karma Lo
Smartphones

Huawei to ship more units as price surges dent China’s smartphone sales: report

As higher memory prices raise costs for China’s handset makers, a research firm predicted Huawei would be the only domestic brand to increase shipments.

Gen Z

Birthday parties at premium gyms? How Gen Z ditched drinking for wellness

Millennials may have embraced athleisure, but wellness is an identity for Gen Z – and gyms are their social clubs.

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