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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.
Department stores and optical shops recorded gains of 9.2 per cent and 10.3 per cent, respectively, in May. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong retail sales grow 7.9% in May, extending winning streak to 13 months

Value of retail sales for month reaches HK$33.8 billion, helped by increase in visitor numbers.

Beauty

The science of skincare, according to 111Skin’s co-founder – interview

Electric & new energy vehicles

Will slowing car sales in China reignite brutal price war in crowded market?

China’s private sector

Race to the bottom? Why retailers bet on their own brands in China

Analysts forecast in-house goods to rise sharply as Chinese retailers seek loyalty and offset lost supplier-funded fees.

Chinese retailers are increasingly relying on higher merchandise margins generated by their own brands, according to a report. Photo: Sam Tsang
Luxury brands

Self-expression, experiences, resale: what luxury clients really want

A new McKinsey and Business of Fashion report reveals how aspirational spending, emotional connection and experience are reshaping the luxury sector.

Hong Kong economy

No plan to extend tighter rules to yoga and dance studios: Hong Kong official

Proposed rules would apply only to gyms and beauty parlours, which logged about 5,000 prepaid contract complaints over six years, official says.

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E-commerce

China’s cooling, e-commerce giants see sales surge as Europe heat sizzles

Alibaba notes surge in retail and business-to-business orders, Midea reports sharp revenue rise, and Gree sales get bump in major European markets.

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On AliExpress, Alibaba’s international retail site, this month’s debut of air conditioners in Germany saw local warehouse inventory for a Midea model completely wiped out by Thursday. Photo: Shutterstock
Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong eyes cool-off period for beauty, gym deals to curb hard-sell tactics

Proposals aim at addressing enforcement gaps under Trade Descriptions Ordinance in sectors involving large prepayments and long-term contracts.

Luxury travel

Hotel boutiques are now destinations, not afterthoughts

Why top hotels like Rosewood, Aman, Upper House and Il Pellicano have taken their lobby boutiques upmarket – plus 5 to visit on your next trip.

China consumption

Pandora, Swarovski shrink China footprint amid shifting consumer preferences

In the first quarter, China’s gold consumption reached 303.3 metric tons, up 4.4 per cent year on year.

This 2019 file photo shows a Swarovski store in a commercial district in Beijing, at a time when it had 400 stores on the mainland. Photo: EPA-EFE
Malaysia

Why Malaysia’s tourism boom lives and dies on a Chinese app

RedNote has made Malaysia a must-visit for Chinese tourists, but it can dismantle reputations just as fast as it builds them.

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A woman holds her smartphone displaying the Chinese social networking and e-commerce app RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu. Photo: AFP
China consumption

Will K-pop give South Korean retailers an edge in China market?

Even though China’s convenience store market is crowded with Chinese rivals and foreign peers like 7-Eleven, it remains far from saturated.

Retailing

Xtep opens first Saucony store in Hong Kong, eyes more premium retail sites

Chinese sportswear group positions premium running brand in Hong Kong as improving market sentiment draws retailers back to prime sites.

Electric & new energy vehicles

How 156 new car models could trigger a ‘do-or-die’ crisis in China’s EV market

A record wave of launches – mostly EVs – threatens to overwhelm demand, forcing smaller players into a fight for survival.

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BYD displays one of its luxury models at Auto China in Beijing on April 24. Photo: Reuters
United States

US inflation rises to 3-year high, spending picks up

The numbers are likely to keep pressure on the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates this year.

Consumers shop for meat in Chicago, Illinois in May. Photo: via AFP
Food and Drinks

1 in 5 coffees sold in Europe contains pesticides: report

The report also warned that the ‘standard reassurance’ given by companies – that residues are destroyed by roasting – is not always true.

Malaysia

Video | Dirt-cheap ‘durian tsunami’ sweeps Malaysia

The oversupply of premium Musang King durians has caused prices to fall to as low as 9 ringgit (US$2) per kg.

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China consumption

Open Questions | Nomura economist on China’s deflation woes, fraught Japan ties

Richard Koo on the difficulty of raising consumption spending, why fraying Tokyo ties should worry Beijing, Trump’s weakness and fallout from Iran war.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
The Future of Marketing in Asia

China’s digital platforms redefine global marketing strategies

The mainland’s app ecosystem integrates content, discovery and transaction into a single and seamless experience.

The Future of Marketing in Asia

Print campaigns thrive in Asia’s luxury media landscape

Trust is written not in pixels but on paper ... for Asia’s affluent, print offers prestige and emotional depth.

China’s private sector

China is fretting over a demographic crisis – but what companies might benefit?

Goldman Sachs says pharmaceutical, biotech sectors could see strongest tailwinds, while car industry, tech hardware makers may struggle.

Two elderly people in Beijing on June 1. Photo: EPA
European Union

Opinion | Europe was happy with the trade rules – until China’s industrial rise

Beijing should not be accused of trade unfairness simply because Chinese companies have become efficient, innovative and globally competitive.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Walmart

After Beijing’s food-safety warning, will Sam’s Club slow its expansion?

Firm makes leadership changes but might have to prioritise supply chain shortcomings after Beijing’s ‘accountability interview’.

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China travel

A phone away from home: China urged to provide rental handsets to aid tourists

A think tank says low-end handsets, rentable at border checkpoints and pre-installed with local apps, could narrow ‘digital divide’ for visitors.

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Wellness

When did fro-yo become cool again? Ask Gen Z

Paris Hilton loved Pinkberry back in the day, now former Starbucks head Howard Schultz is advising Mimi’s in Manhattan – here’s why fro-yo is making a comeback.

Mimi’s is known for having long queues. Photo: @mimis.ny/Instagram
China consumption

China’s e-commerce platforms help unlock global markets for South Korean brands

China’s cross-border platforms, which sell to millions of shoppers, are acting as a low-cost route to overseas customers in several regions.

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A dense crowd of shoppers at Musinsa in Seoul, as South Korean online shops team up with Chinese cross-border e-commerce platforms to sell their wares. Photo: Shutterstock
China travel

Why are foreign travellers racing to China for the June Dragon Boat holiday?

Chinese travel platforms have logged a big jump in bookings by inbound tourists over the holiday, as global interest in Chinese festivals rises.

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China consumption

‘People are more cautious’: has China lost its appetite for shopping festivals?

The shopping bonanza used to see mountains of packages pile up on street corners, but orders have dwindled amid China’s economic slowdown.

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