China

The foodservice channel has seen something of rollercoaster in China in recent years. First came a significant decline in 2020, when COVID-19 first hit the country. This was followed by a strong recovery in 2021, when China seemed to have the…

Air travel appears to be experiencing robust momentum in China as regulations have moved away from lengthy pandemic-related restrictions of the past three years, benefiting both domestic and international airlines. Ticket prices could remain…

Booking in China has seen a rapid shift from offline to online sales, as the country has one of the highest internet penetration rates in the world, and local consumers are accustomed to booking travel online. However, 2023 is set to see a temporary…

Mid-market hotels continue to gain share as consumers trade up in terms of spending on accommodation, such as moving away from unrated or budget to mid-market options. This is being driven by increasing awareness of health and safety accelerated by…

Effective from 8 Jan 2023, the Chinese government lifted inbound travel restrictions, such as testing and contact tracing passes, effectively ending the country’s “zero-Covid” policy practiced for the last three years. Subsequently, international…

Travel sales in China are set to strongly rebound in 2023, following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in the country and the reopening of the border to inbound arrivals. In terms of domestic tourism, volume is predicted to recover faster than…

Even after seeing exceptional current value growth in 2022, it is anticipated that analgesics will continue to experience double-digit growth in 2023. This can primarily be attributed to the substantial increase in COVID-19 cases in China starting…

Consumer health in China recorded high single-digit current value growth in 2022, mainly due to the COVID-19-related sales surge for OTC products, and this growth trend is set to continue in 2023, mainly due to rising health awareness. In terms of…

Even though cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies recorded over 40% current value growth in 2022, it is anticipated that the category will continue to achieve high single-digit growth in 2023. Starting from late 2022, the end of the zero-COVID…

In the wake of the pandemic, marked by an increased emphasis on holistic health, skin health has experienced a robust resurgence in 2023. Forecasts indicate that dermatologicals is poised to achieve steady mid-single-digit current value growth in…

Dietary supplements is expected to register robust growth in China in 2023, after the easing of COVID-19-related restrictions. The surge in COVID-19 cases since the lifting of restrictions in late December 2022 brought health products such a dietary…

In 2023, the prevalence of the XBB strain of COVID-19 in China, which typically presents with gastrointestinal discomfort and diarrhoea symptoms, has led to the rising popularity of digestive remedies, with the overall category set to achieve high…

In 2023, eye care in China is set to maintain moderate current value growth. The eyes, being one of the most vital human senses, have always been a focal point of concern, resulting in relatively stable demand for eye care products. Particularly in…

The resumption of offline activities and offline traffic is bringing back the buzz for nurturing products (also known as “yang sheng”), a major component of herbal/traditional dietary supplements. COVID-19 restrictions weighed down sales of…

Notwithstanding the decline in the birth rate and the contraction in the infant population, which has had a direct negative impact on categories such as milk formula, it has not depressed demand for upgraded consumption in paediatric consumer health.…

Sleep disorders were already in the spotlight after the outbreak of COVID-19, and demand for sleep aids rose, given the disruption to daily routines, coupled with long screen hours during the lockdowns. However, despite the easing of COVID-19…

As individuals are adapting to the new normal as restrictions have been lifted, and are seeking to regain a sense of normalcy, the return to outdoor activities and sports engagements has become a prevailing trend in 2023. This shift holds promising…

Vitamins enjoyed a surge in demand throughout the COVID-19 wave which started after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in December 2022, and lasted during the first half of 2023. Products with the purpose of immune support, such as vitamin C, which…

Despite the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions at the end of 2022, in 2023 consumers have not fully emerged from the shadow of COVID-19. Lingering health concerns and illness have led to an increased focus on health and immunity. This heightened…

China has been investing significantly in its healthcare infrastructure, including hospitals and clinics, which has been positively impacting the demand for medical supplies, including wound care products. In 2023 overall, an intriguing phenomenon is…

Tourist arrivals in China were seen to recover in 2023, despite global macroeconomic pressures such as high inflation and the rapid escalation of living costs. This was an improvement on previous years, when the pandemic prevented people from…

Value sales of fine wines/champagne and spirits grew by 9% to total CNY829.6 billion in 2023, boosted by consumers’ appetite for experiences and enjoyment after the pandemic. Socialising over a drink with friends remains a priority for many,…

Retail value sales of luxury goods in China grew by 6% in 2023 in current terms, to stand at CNY3 trillion. Growth in sales was fuelled by several factors during the post-lockdown period. One significant driver was a desire amongst affluent consumers…

Personal luxury retail value sales grew by 15% in 2023 to amount to CNY413.1 billion, thanks to growth recorded by leading brand providers such as LVMH Fashion (Shanghai) Trading Co Ltd, Richemont SA, Cie Financière, and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis…

Value sales of premium and luxury cars rose by 4% to total CNY1.7 trillion in 2023, due to demand from higher-income consumers, with expenditure proving resilient in the face of macroeconomic headwinds. Wealth determines the degree of demand that…

The health and wellness industry continues to grow in importance post-pandemic as consumers become more aware of the negative health impact of processed foods, seeking healthier foods and beverages from a range of claims such as natural, organic,…

In recent years, there has been a notable surge in health-consciousness amongst Chinese consumers. This positive trend can be attributed, in part, to a concerted effort by the government through its "Three Reduce" campaign, which aims to curtail the…

Protein has been regarded as important nutrition for boosting immunity since the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020. This has led to the boom of high protein claims in dairy products and alternatives, and has been driving new product developments with a…

In 2022, there was a noticeable increase in consumer interest in fortified/functional hot drinks, due to the significant health and wellness benefits they offer. These hot drinks provide a convenient way for individuals to incorporate beneficial…

Leading up to 2022, the Chinese market exhibited a scarcity of options within dairy free ice cream, with minimal sales activity. However, the landscape underwent a notable transformation in 2022, emerging as a pivotal year, characterised by…

Chinese consumers are becoming increasingly health-conscious and concerned about the negative health effects of excessive sugar consumption. This has led to the rise of better for you soft drinks, including low and no sugar drinks. This is also being…

Amidst heightened awareness amongst Chinese consumers of the adverse effects of excessive sugar consumption, the rise of low sugar and no sugar claims is evident across various product types, particularly staple foods. Within baked goods, traditional…

Insights and data on the traditional automotive sector and the mobility industry can help businesses examine how changing travel patterns will impact future consumer behaviour. Growing climate pressures and rising urbanisation rates are pushing…

While many people have adopted a more casual and minimalist approach to their clothing style, their pursuit of aesthetics and individuality remains undiminished. They tend to lean towards using apparel accessories to embellish their simple attire and…

With the end of the zero-COVID policy towards the end of 2022, China’s consumer landscape has undergone a gradual transition back to normalcy. While 2023 experienced a temporary dip in sales of apparel and footwear, influenced by both COVID-19 and…

As pandemic restrictions were lifted in China at the beginning of 2023, bricks-and-mortar sales have gradually been returning after the 2022 decline due to periodic lockdowns. The apparel and footwear industry, including childrenswear, is therefore…

After the lifting of the zero-COVID policy and the subsequent relaxation of pandemic-related restrictions at the beginning of 2023, the restoration of logistics and a resurgence in offline consumption was seen. This, in turn, is set to catalyse a…

Despite the downturn in retail current value sales in 2022, which can be attributed to the impact of pandemic-induced restrictions, the alleviation of such measures in 2023 is poised to herald a resurgence for hosiery, culminating in a notable…

Thanks to the end of the zero-COVID policy and the resurgence of retro fashion, jeans is set to experience significant high single-digit current value growth in 2023. The popularity of the retro trend has not only favoured denim jeans, but has also…

Since the end of the zero-COVID policy, the consumer environment has been gradually returning to normal, and menswear is anticipated to experience a substantial single-digit rebound in China in 2023, although is not quite expected to revert to its…

The massive lockdowns and widespread COVID-19 infections in 2022 weighed down sales of sportswear in China, which registered a slight current value decline in this year. Nevertheless, outdoor apparel and footwear kept outperforming the overall…

With the end to the zero-COVID policy in the country, and the return to a more normal consumer environment, womenswear is expected to experience a substantial single-digit current value rebound in China in 2023, drawing close to the level of sales…

Baked goods is set to return to growth in retail volume and current value terms in 2023. In this year, leavened bread, which is the main category within bread, is set to see mid-single-digit retail current value growth in China, mainly driven by the…

In 2023, retail current value sales of breakfast cereals are expected to return to growth after decline in 2022. However, value growth is set to be negligible, and retail volume sales are set to see a slight decline, partly due to the return to…

Consumer credit is set to see a moderate rebound in 2023, following subdued demand in 2022, affected by the pandemic. The pick-up in consumer credit growth has largely been due to rises in home and card lending, reflecting some improvement in…

Demand for consumer lending is set to see a moderate rebound in 2023, as the pandemic has eased, and consumer spending has returned, especially on services and in other discretionary categories. However, growth in consumer lending in China is…

The number of credit cards in circulation and credit card current value transactions are expected to increase in 2023, mainly driven by further improvements in mobility and economic conditions after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted at the end of…

In 2023, debit card spending is expected to see year-on-year growth both in terms of payment transactions and payment values, derived from pent-up demand over the last three years, which has been released in this year. Many consumers have taken the…

Financial cards and payments in China is set to see a rebound in 2023, following the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Consumers have taken the reopening of society as an opportunity to increase their discretionary spending, particularly in the areas…

As of July 2023, 10 pre-paid card issuers had had their payment clearing license revoked, according to PBOC (People’s Bank of China). In fact, the majority of these issuers voluntarily cancelled their licenses, affected by stringent government…