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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.
A customer prepares to check out at the register inside a 7-Eleven store in Japan. Photo: Shutterstock
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

Electric & new energy vehicles

Foreign carmakers lose more traction in China as luxury sales slide

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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China consumption

‘Critical period’: Beijing unveils five-year plan to boost consumption

Policymakers set US$8.85 trillion retail goal for 2030, betting on services, property and cars to anchor growth amid weak demand.

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Customers check out televisions at a home appliances store in Changzhou, Jiangsu province. Photo: VCG
Electric & new energy vehicles

No U-turn: Hainan solidifies 2030 deadline to purge petrol-vehicle sales

New road map for the tropical free-trade hub highlights advancements in fleet electrification, creating a potential template for other provinces to follow.

Food and Drinks

Heritage brands in Hong Kong innovate to thrive in challenging times

From charcoal-roasted goose to toys to construction, owners of venerated local businesses explain their stewardship strategies.

China economy

Opinion | Why China is seriously cultivating AI entertainment

With rules and support, policymakers appear to be positioning AI and its entertainment nexus as the foundation for a new cultural economy.

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Monitor screens at a microdrama film studio in Shanghai, China, on October 10, 2025. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong stock market

What Labubu fatigue? Star investor buys bigger stake in Pop Mart

China’s answer to Warren Buffett now owns a 7.65 per cent stake in the toy brand, despite a lukewarm reception for the new Labubu Hair Salon series.

Art exhibition ‘Shining Journey – Tracing Molly’s Starlight Footprint’ was held at Dolphin Square in Hong Kong’s shopping district, Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Sam Tsang
China manufacturing

Why factories in southern China are feeling the squeeze despite pickup in orders

Manufacturers hoping for stimulus measures turn attention to coming Politburo meeting as costs eat into profits and investment.

Diplomacy

Opinion | Slowly but surely, China’s soft power is making itself felt

With trusted businesses, more openness, creative culture and inspiring sporting successes, China is building a foundation for influence.

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China consumption

Five Guys eyes Beijing as US chains hunger for success in China

Unlike earlier attempts that relied on management by overseas headquarters, US firms now favour franchising, analyst says.

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Five Guys targets quality-focused diners in first-tier cities. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

Volkswagen China deliveries see 26% drop year on year to lowest point since 2010

The European carmaker is losing ground to domestic EV rivals as it sees its lowest delivery volume in over a decade and half.

A Volkswagen electric vehicle sits on a production line at a factory in Hefei, in China’s eastern Anhui province, on February 4. Photo: Reuters.
Middle East

Middle Eastern perfumes are trending, led by Lattafa and Mona Kattan’s Kayali

From TikTok Shop to legacy houses, oud has gone mainstream – with Gucci, Maison Francis Kurkdjian and Tom Ford all launching dedicated collections.

E-commerce

China fines 4 internet celebrities US$1.9m for tax evasion

In some cases, popular live-streamers with online stores and millions of fans paid taxes as low as a few hundred yuan, authorities say.

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