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Edith Lin

Lam Ka-sing

Some cost-conscious Hongkongers have decided to spend Valentine’s Day by organising their own value-for-money celebrations, while a few florists have kept bouquet prices as low as the level 10 years ago amid a sluggish economy.
The Post found a number of young lovers had chosen to have lunch instead of dinner on Friday, while others had plans to spend the evening at home to avoid the higher prices often charged by restaurants on the day that celebrated romance.
Many residents bought bouquets for their partners, as the cost of flowers at many shops dropped rather than increased.
Yuki Choi, a 30-year-old healthcare worker, said she would celebrate Valentine’s Day at her “love nest” with her boyfriend.
The couple planned to order food with a delivery service and also bought a cheese platter and a bottle of wine, with a budget of about HK$500 (US$64).
“We prefer to stay home for dinner as meals on Valentine’s Day are expensive … It can cost us HK$1,000 for a Western set meal,” she said.
Carlos Chan*, in his thirties, said he would have lunch with his girlfriend at a Western restaurant in Causeway Bay, as he noticed the set dinner was 30 per cent more expensive than normal days.
But he had also booked a one-day staycation at a four-star hotel for about HK$1,400.
“The room rate is only slightly higher than usual, not even by 10 per cent. It is still expensive but it is acceptable,” he said.
At the Mong Kok Flower Market, shops were busy with customers. Rows of freshly packed bouquets were on display and some stalls were offering discounts of 10 per cent.

Vincent Chan, who is in his forties and works in sales and marketing, bought roses and was browsing for floral handicrafts for his wife, mother and nieces.
He said his budget for the gifts was about HK$500 and he would spend another HK$500 on a home-cooked steak for their celebration.
Dan Wong Chin-hung, 39, who works at a data centre, spent HK$400 on a bouquet with pink, yellow and red roses for his wife of five years. He bought the flowers in Wong Chuk Hang the night before Valentine’s Day since he was on a late shift on Friday.
Because of Wong’s evening shift, the couple would not be celebrating on the day, although Wong intended to take his wife out for dinner on the weekend.
Cherry Leung Ka-yi, chief executive of florist Wayfoong Fleur, said sales at her shop on Friday grew by about 20 per cent year on year, attributing the rise to a longer time lag between the Lunar New Year and Valentine’s Day and lower marked prices.
“Actually, the economy is poor. We sold more because we cut prices to levels of 10 years ago,” Leung said. “We also launched some packages so more people were attracted and bought without considering prices [as much].”
For one package, prices were slashed by 22 per cent, or HK$200, to HK$680 per bouquet. The arrangement, which contained five large roses, two small roses and decorative flowers, was the most popular among her customers.
Florists in the office areas of Central, Admiralty and Causeway Bay also enjoyed brisk sales, benefiting from Valentine’s Day falling on a weekday.
“Being a Friday, there’s demand to send [flowers] to people’s offices,” Leung said, adding that roses and sweet peas were among the more popular purchases.
Elizabeth Tse Wong Siu-yin, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Flower Retailers Association, said sales were expected to grow by 10 per cent from last Valentine’s Day.
“I saw queues at florists in Central. Some people had forgotten [about Valentine’s Day], so the ladies would remind their boyfriends at lunch about flowers if they saw bouquets at the next table,” Tse said.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also celebrated Valentine’s Day by thanking his wife Janet Lam Lai-sim for supporting and “tolerating” him.
He uploaded a painting on social media, which showed him holding her hand as they crossed a rugged patch of grass by a lake.
*Name changed at interviewee’s request.


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Newlyweds pose for pictures at Hong Kong Park on Valentine’s Day. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Customers browse bouquets on offer at the Mong Kok Flower Market on Valentine’s Day. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee posted a painting, based on a photo taken of him and his wife, on Valentine’s Day to thank his wife. Photo: Facebook

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A man browses flowers at a market in Mong Kok ahead of Valentine’s Day. Photo: Eugene Lee

Some Hongkongers are planning to stay home for Valentine’s Day this year. Photo: Jelly Tse

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Hong Kong’s economy is undergoing “structural adjustments”, the finance chief says. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong’s lacklustre property market has affected the government’s income. Photo: Eugene Lee

News

Hong Kong

Hong Kong Economy

Couples choose to celebrate over lunch to avoid higher dinner costs, while many florists drop bouquet prices amid sluggish economy


Couples choose to celebrate over lunch to avoid higher dinner costs, while many florists drop bouquet prices amid sluggish economy.


Valentine's Day