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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.
Geely Auto’s sales of EVs jumped 10.1 per cent to 241,740 units in the first two months of the year from a year earlier. Photo: Shutterstock
Electric & new energy vehicles

Geely beats BYD sales in first 2 months of 2026 to become China’s top carmaker

Geely’s sales rise 1 per cent to 476,327 units in January and February, while BYD’s sales slump 38.5 per cent to 400,241 units.

Beauty

Romi Beauty’s founders on creating multitasking products for Asian skin

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV maker Nio forecasts surge in deliveries after first quarterly profit

Hong Kong entertainment

Sour note for fans after Taiwanese rock band Mayday switches Hong Kong date

Veteran rockers’ show originally scheduled for March 24 cancelled, with new concert added on March 29.

Mayday putting on a show at Kai Tak Stadium last year. Photo: Handout
The Philippines

Philippines’ fuel shock exposes limits of deregulated oil market

Consumer groups say households are left to absorb rising costs as the government rolls out conservation measures and considers fuel tax relief.

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Retailing

Middle East tensions add uncertainty to Hong Kong retail rents, Wharf REIC says

The landlord of Harbour City and Times Square says retail recovery remains fragile, with higher mall traffic failing to boost spending.

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Paris Fashion Week

Paris Fashion Week 2026: Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel revolution

Blazy’s collection included Chanel’s signature skirt suits in silicone and other synthetic materials, with sequins and floral flourishes.

Chanel built a construction site full of colourful cranes for the fall/winter 2026 show at Paris Fashion Week. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

1 holy month, 1 year’s income: Malaysia’s Ramadan bazaar boom

Rents have doubled, ingredient costs keep climbing, yet for the stallholders at Malaysia’s bazaars, no other month comes close.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Iran war oil shock accelerates Southeast Asia’s EV revolution

Southeast Asia was already going electric. Then war broke out in the Middle East and it started going faster.

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China property

China’s shoppers head for suburban outlets, a bright spot in retail property

Outlet spending nearly doubles to around US$36 billion over five years, prompting investment surge while urban malls suffer high vacancies.

Consumers shop at Florentia Village in suburban Shanghai. Photo: Maggie Zhang
Fashion

Jeff Staple, designer of the Nike Pigeon, talks hype, sneakers and streetwear

The streetwear icon just opened a Hong Kong store and launched a new line with Kenji Wong – and once pursued his first-ever collaboration with Brooks for 8 years.

Jeff Staple launched his streetwear brand in New York and today has stores in China too, including his latest in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout
Electric & new energy vehicles

Top Chinese EV makers are selling more cars overseas than at home

Top EV makers such as BYD, Great Wall Motor and Chery are selling more cars in overseas markets than at home.

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Two Sessions 2026

China pivots to ‘investing in people’ strategy as growth engine switches gears

Premier announces changes in spending priorities, aiming to boost consumption, but doubts remain whether resources will match ambitions.

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China exports

Chinese companies expand globally

Chinese firms are investing in overseas factories and marketing to develop global brands. Domestic price wars are pushing more companies to go global – “chuhai” in Chinese – in search of new growth opportunities.

Chinese companies expand globally
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s retail sales rise 5.5% in January as tourists loosen purse strings

Census and Statistics Department says retail sales for January worth HK$37.3 billion, marking ninth straight month of growth since May 2025.

A shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Jelly Tse
Hong Kong property

McDonald’s sells Hong Kong shop outside disposal plan for US$11.9 million

Latest sale of Hong Kong restaurant site by the Chicago-based food chain reflects a retail valuation reset as rents stay subdued.

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Smartphones

Will Apple’s low-cost iPhone 17e make a splash in China’s smartphone market?

Presales for the new entry-level iPhone start on Wednesday, with a wide release set for March 11.

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Two Sessions 2026

Chinese officials, car executives may discuss capping EV output

As China’s EV industry faces slowing growth, officials may discuss capping output and boosting tech innovation to combat price wars.

Employees work on the assembly line of new energy vehicles at Zero Run’s plant in Jinhua, Zhejiang province. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Retailing

Warm winter no match: China’s sportswear sector posts surprise growth

Policy support, Chinese New Year demand and Winter Olympics exposure lift China’s sportswear makers, with Li Ning and Anta leading gains.

Two Sessions 2026

China’s pivot from GDP obsession sparks cadre confusion, tests local governance

Governors and mayors must reconcile Beijing’s people-centric mandates with traditional growth targets, navigating vague appraisal changes and performance concepts.

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Pop Mart

Pop Mart’s Merodi Hong Kong debut highlights challenges of sustaining IP success

Toymaker’s latest character launch draws tepid demand, raising questions about the company’s reliance on Labubu’s success.

The Merodi After School series features a mischievous little girl with the magical ability to talk to animals. Photo: Handout
China travel

Why China’s travellers spent little, despite rise in Chinese New Year trips

The country logged a record 596 million domestic trips over the extended holiday, but consumers are still reluctant to loosen their purse strings.

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A lion dance troupe performs for tourists during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: EPA
US-China relations

Immigration slows, but America’s appetite for ethnic groceries keeps growing

Weee, now topping $1 billion in annualized revenue, says demand for Asian and Latino foods is spreading well beyond immigrant communities.

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China consumption

China’s weak consumption gets Lunar New Year boost

An 8.6 per cent increase in Lunar New Year spending is a rare bright spot in Chinese efforts to bolster domestic demand.

Electric & new energy vehicles

Low-cost models dominate China EV sales, surpassing Tesla and BYD

Geely’s and Wuling’s sub-100,000 yuan battery EVs ranked first and second in mainland China last year, each selling over 400,000 units.

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Geely’s Xingyuan was the top-selling EV on the mainland last year. Photo: Weibo
China property

Empty shops, falling rents: commercial property suffers in China retail slump

China’s key shopping street rents have fallen to 2018 levels as cautious consumers cut spending and landlords lower prices to fill vacancies.

Retail therapy: Chinese consumers have been spending more cautiously and saving more amid uncertain job prospects. Photo: Xinhua
China travel

Chinese shoppers are Asia’s biggest airport spenders, study finds

China’s travellers outspend even their Indian and Saudi peers, splashing twice the regional average on luxury goods, airport retail study says.

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Electric & new energy vehicles

China’s EV insurers move towards profitability on higher premiums, AI adoption

Chinese insurers are turning to AI as the technology cuts labour costs and enhances pricing accuracy.

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