The vast differences between Western economies and the Chinese market might lead one to imagine that consumers in each market also buy very different products. Well, yes and… no: in this analysis, we highlight some ‘obvious’ yet also very divergent product ranges!
The product categories most in demand amongst Chinese consumers are:
- Sun protection (including… ‘cooling sleeves’)
- Summer skincare and beauty
- Lightweight fashion and ‘cool tech’ (there is high demand for ‘凉感’, i.e. clothing that cools you down)
- Cold drinks and refreshing foods
- Technology to beat the heat
- Lifestyle products and tech gadgets
Wellness and health products
The keys to understanding these trends are:
- Climate = key driver: everything related to heat and protection is on the rise
- Health + beauty: skincare and wellness dominate purchasing decisions
- Social experience: viral products have a major influence (social media!)
- Digital-first: purchases driven by platforms such as Douyin and Xiaohongshu
- Selective consumer: prioritises value, quality and real utility
