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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.
WeChat Pay Hong Kong has been offering taxi drivers perks such as zero handling fees. Photo: Edward Wong
Hong Kong economy

WeChat Pay records fourfold rise in mainland tourist taxi payments in Hong Kong

Tencent executive also says more than 20,000 taxi drivers in city now accept both local WeChat Pay HK accounts and the mainland version.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Xpeng and Chinese EV peers aim to win over Hongkongers amid global push

Nintendo

Nintendo’s new Switch 2 console breaks a sales record in first 4 days

The Philippines

Rice imports, policy inertia put ‘future of Filipino farming’ at risk: report

Policy failures and under-investment among factors for exacerbating country’s import reliance to the detriment of the local farming industry, report says.

A farmer plants rice in a paddy field in Pulilan, Bulacan province, in the Philippines. Photo: AFP
Electric & new energy vehicles

BYD and other mainland carmakers pledge to speed up payments to suppliers

The 14 carmakers say the move came as a result of regulatory guidance on the sustainable development of China’s auto sector.

Japan

Eye on the prize: bags of rice, daily essentials up for grabs at Japanese arcade

The arcade’s manager says the goal is for residents in Kawagoe to have some fun even with the soaring rice prices.

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China consumption

China’s film distributors pledge more imports to diversify market

As domestic releases dominate China’s box office, distributors have renewed calls for overseas titles to keep market fluid.

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China’s film distributors have called for the import of more titles to diversify the country’s market. Photo: AP
Banking & finance

Labubu becomes bait for China’s Ping An Bank to lure young customers

Tactic draws attention of regulators as retail banks on the mainland struggle to attract young customers, analysts say.

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China trade

Pressured by US tariffs, Chinese exports expand in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia

‘Exports are being diversified, bit by bit, and Southeast Asian countries are becoming more and more important trading partners,’ analyst says.

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Malaysia

Fresh tax on luxuries a hard sell for Malaysia’s Anwar as popularity wanes

Taxes of between 5 and 10 per cent will be imposed on ‘discretionary and non-essential’ goods and services from July 1.

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People walking in a shopping centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Photo: Xinhua
Electric & new energy vehicles

The competition for budget-conscious EV buyers in China heats up

Apart from hefty price discounts, carmakers are offering more bells and whistles in their latest models to stand out from the crowd.

The BYD Seal 06 can self-park and has voice-activated recognition capability, enhancing its competitiveness in the sub-US$20,000 segment. Photo: AP
China manufacturing

Baijiu blues and plum pickings: tastes of China’s Gen Z rewrite liquor industry

Young Chinese are driving a shift from the traditional white spirit to fruity, lower-alcohol beverages, in a sign of as evolving lifestyles.

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Beauty

Thai beauty is taking off – and Cathy Doll’s owner Karmart is its star

Wongwiwat and Pongwiwat Theekhakhirikul discuss starting as a family business, Trump tariffs, and offering premium products.

India

Tesla’s India entry appears in doubt after minister questions intent

Heavy industries minister says Tesla is ‘more interested’ in establishing showrooms and ‘not interested’ in manufacturing in India.

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Tesla electric vehicles are parked in a Tesla dealer in New Jersey. India has taken notable steps to court Tesla, such as slashing tariffs on luxury vehicles priced above US$40,000. Photo: Reuters
China’s economic stimulus

Local governments halt some subsidies ahead of China’s big 618 shopping festival

Abrupt halt to shopping vouchers – meant to stimulate consumption and boost economy – comes as a surprise, with depleted funds and ‘programme upgrades’ cited.

A saleswoman discusses products and government subsidies with a customer in China’s Zhejiang province. Photo: Xinhua
US-China trade war

Why new US curbs on China’s tech tests could raise prices for American consumers

Or is this another ‘Taco’ moment for the Trump administration?

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IPO

Why Chinese fresh-drink firms could leave investors high and dry

Too much money could be chasing the same growth story, S&P Global Ratings says.

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China manufacturing

‘Full of gunpowder’: price wars of China’s carmakers deepen, draw Beijing’s ire

A barrage of official condemnation over ‘involuted’ auto sector comes after major industry players offered big discounts amid overcapacity concerns.

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Workers assemble electric vehicles at a factory in Chongqing, China. Photo: EPA-EFE
Hong Kong property

Exclusive | Hong Kong McDonald’s spot close to topping London as world’s busiest

The Admiralty Centre outlet serves more than 1,000 customers an hour during peak periods, putting it on a path to surpass the Liverpool Street branch.

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Japan

Japanese shoppers queue for hours to buy cheap rice amid soaring prices

Stores have started selling rice from the government’s stockpile to feed demand for the staple.

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Retailing

Is Labubu the next Hello Kitty? Analysts debate Pop Mart’s limits

Labubu is a stunning success and a new Chinese cultural export, but can the company repeat its feats and rival Sanrio?

People look at Labubu products at a Pop Mart pop-up store in Siam Center shopping mall, in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 6. Photo: AFP
China consumption

Mission: Impossible? China faces box office blues during Dragon Boat Festival

Film ticket sales estimated to decline compared to previous holiday – but analysts say long-term trends remain positive.

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(250504) -- BINZHOU, May 4, 2025 (Xinhua) -- People walk past movie posters at a cinema in Boxing County of Binzhou City, east China’s Shandong Province, May 3, 2025. People across China enjoy the ongoing May Day holiday in various ways. (Photo by Chen Bin/Xinhua)
Apple

Apple faces another year of iPhone woes in China as Huawei rises

Fierce competition from Chinese rivals and a broader economic slowdown are contributing to another weak year for Apple, IDC says.

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Hong Kong society

Hong Kong ‘silver economy’ moves to boost spending by ‘5% annually over 3 years’

Deputy Chief Secretary Warner Cheuk’s remarks follow series of measures being rolled out to better address needs of greying population.

Japan

As Japan’s rice prices soar, scammers cash in on hunger for cheap deals

Complaints related to scam websites claiming to sell the staple at heavily discounted prices have spiked since March.

A customer looks at rice on sale at a store in Tokyo on Wednesday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Hong Kong economy

Outside In | Mark Twain was wrong. Travel is not as fatal to prejudice as hoped

For every traveller open to learning from our differences, there is another impregnably confident in the superiority of his or her culture.

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Foreign tourists relax on Kuta Beach on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali in November 2023. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong economy

Who’s got the next Labubu? Hong Kong creators eye a slice of ‘goods economy’ pie

Artists and designers need support to make their mark in lucrative market for toys and other collectibles.

Hong Kong economy

Wedding woes as Hong Kong firm’s suspected closure leaves couples in crisis

Complaints lodged against Ps Wedding & Event Decoration with more than HK$330,000 losses reported to the consumer watchdog.

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