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TOPIC

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.
Pop Mart has opened a new store in Sentosa, Singapore. Photo: Handout
China consumption

China’s Pop Mart opens new store in Singapore’s Sentosa as domestic sales slow

Popular toymaker targets global expansion and revenue diversification, looking beyond just collectibles.

China exports

China-made vessel carries record EVs in shipment from Shanghai to Europe

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China consumption

Back in fashion? Burberry sales jump in China amid tech wealth

Hong Kong society

Infant formula maker insists product safe after recalls in Hong Kong and Macau

Batch of Frisolac Prestige Stage 1 (800g) subject to recall after authorities in Macau discover samples have lead levels above safety limit.

The affected batch, numbered 1W07KPJ, has a production date of September 30, 2025, and a best before date of September 30, 2027. Photo: Sun Yeung
Electric & new energy vehicles

Rising raw material costs hit Chinese carmakers’ profit margins, price war plans

Net earnings from the sale of a 100,000 yuan car now stand at just 1,500 yuan, according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Fashion

Chanel and Celine top client I-Ping Soong on her love for fashion

The Singaporean fashionista is a big fan of Matthieu Blazy – both at Bottega Veneta and Chanel – and of Demna’s Balenciaga.

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China consumption

Price of parenting: the household maths giving China’s consumers pause

Falling property wealth, job insecurity and sky-high childcare costs are forcing middle-class families to aggressively scale back consumer spending.

A newborn baby is seen with family members at a hospital in Heshan, south China’s Guangdong province, on February 10, 2024. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Dynamism returns to Hong Kong retail with World Cup windfall

Scenes from shopping centres and eateries during the final match prove the city hasn’t lost its penchant for vibrant nightlife.

China’s private sector

Meet Yu Donglai, founder of China’s viral supermarket chain and premier’s guest

Yu’s company has caught the public’s attention for its business practices and high-quality goods.

Banking & finance

Hongkongers increase cross-border shopping splurges, spending data shows

Price differentials, changing consumer habits make mainland China a ‘major hotspot’ for Hongkongers’ spending, UnionPay International says.

Passengers cross the border via Shenzhen Bay Control Point in Hong Kong on June 17. Photo: Jelly Tse
China trade

China’s durian imports from Thailand, Malaysia soar as glut stresses growers

Chinese imports of the pungent fruit have increased by 47 per cent in the first half of 2026, prompting a sharp decline in prices.

Workers process durians for export to China in Lam Dong, Vietnam, as Southeast Asian exporters offloaded a glut of the pungent, spiky fruit, sparking a drop in prices. Photo: Xinhua
Japan

Japanese firm acts to stop 7-Eleven store staff scalping anime, game merchandise

Some owners and employees have been caught setting aside merchandise before its release or buying up large quantities for resale.

Robotics

Chinese robot maker AgiBot targets a listing in Hong Kong’s booming market

Leading robot maker plans a Hong Kong IPO with Citic, CICC, and Morgan Stanley as sponsors.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Foreign carmakers lose more traction in China as luxury sales slide

Mercedes, Land Rover, BMW, Jaguar and Infiniti take further hit as consumers shun pricey, petrol-powered vehicles.

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A woman promotes the GLC SUV via a video stream at the Mercedes-Benz booth during Auto China 2026 in Beijing on April 24. Photo: AP Photo
Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s EV makers went from small fry to big shots. Can others do the same?

The global green shift is providing a way for emerging economies to catch up with global powerhouses, with help from China’s supply chain.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
China's economic recovery

Shanghai beats GDP estimates with 5.6% growth – but two-speed recovery persists

Official data points to a resilient tech-led rebound even as prominent economists warn household spending remains stubbornly cautious.

China manufacturing

China’s car industry is on a tear overseas. So why are sales at home plunging?

Chinese car brands have suffered a steep drop in domestic sales this year, with Beijing scaling back subsidies and buyers reluctant to spend.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

What will China’s phasing out of its EV battery tax break mean for the industry?

Beijing is attempting to curb overcapacity and intense domestic price wars by ending a decade-long levy exemption on batteries.

Cars produced by Chinese automakers BYD and MG at the Lianyungang port in China’s eastern Jiangsu province on July 1. Photo: AFP
South Korea

Beggar’s banquet: South Korea’s viral app helps youth find cheap meals

South Korea’s youth unemployment rate reached 7.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2026 – the highest since 2021.

China consumption

How Musk son’s viral bag highlights rise of China’s thriving heritage e-commerce

China’s intangible heritage crafts have evolved from handmade nostalgia into a surging online industry driven by young artisans and buyers.

South Korea

How South Korean hypermarket chain’s fall reflects ‘time-poor’ consumer demands

The Homeplus crisis comes even as other South Korean retail businesses continue to thrive amid a surge in online sales.

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A Homeplus store in Seoul. The financially troubled hypermarket chain has closed or suspended its outlets in South Korea. Photo: EPA
China consumption

Under pressure: China’s yoga apparel market slows as consumers diversify hobbies

Growth has slowed in the market for yoga workout gear as Chinese consumers pivot to other brands and activities.

A Lululemon shop in Shanghai on May 19. The brand is seeing slowing sales amid a backdrop of shifting consumer preferences. Photo: AFP
Banking & finance

Open Questions | Citic Capital CEO on making China a financial powerhouse

Ex-Wall Streeter Zhang Yichen on attracting capital to China, building up its bond market and helping foreign firms better serve Chinese consumers.

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Hong Kong property

Retail rift: Hong Kong shops beg for rent relief, landlords hold firm

As closures continue despite rising retail sales, landlords and operators have starkly divided views on the retail leasing market.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

Charging ahead: why BYD plans to build 3,000 ‘flash-charging’ stations in Europe

The facilities will support BYD’s latest flash-charging technology, which can reportedly recharge a car’s battery in just 10 minutes.

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The Denza N9 hybrid electric SUV is one of several BYD models targeting the luxury end of the car market released over the past few years. Photo: Handout
Hong Kong property

Lights out for Taobao-partnered furniture showroom in October: sources

Landlord Sino Group seeking a new tenant for the second-floor shop at China Hong Kong City mall in Tsim Sha Tsui, marketing materials show.

Customers shop in Taobao Hong Kong's furniture store at China Hong Kong City. Photo: Eugene Lee
IPO

Waning appetite: why mainland Chinese F&B stocks are losing favour in Hong Kong

IPO lapses and sliding share prices underscore how weak consumption is dulling Hong Kong’s appetite for mainland China’s food sector.

China property

Up Tempo? Hilton hotel brand taps into rising China tourism demand

US hotel operator says new lifestyle brand reflects its belief that the country’s tourism sector will continue to grow.

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