Shopping in China initiative opportunity for businesses

The "Shopping in China" initiative will create broader market opportunities for both domestic and foreign businesses, unlocking the potential of China's vast consumer market and reinforcing the country's commitment to further opening-up, market watchers and business executives said.

The shopping campaign, launched in April 2025, aims to create an internationally friendly consumption environment and enhance China's appeal as a consumption hub through measures such as streamlining visa procedures and improving departure tax refund arrangements.

Guan Lixin, a researcher specializing in marketing and consumption at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation in Beijing, said that for foreign brands, a raft of supportive measures can lower barriers to market entry and streamline access to China's sizable and increasingly sophisticated consumer base.

For Chinese companies, the initiative can help homegrown brands, smart products and green consumer goods gain greater global visibility, enhancing brand value and moving up the value chain, said Guan.

Similar views were expressed by Zhao Xinli, a professor specializing in brand development at Communication University of China in Beijing.

"At the same time, expanded visa-free and transit visa-free policies, improved payment services for inbound travelers, multilingual assistance and the development of international consumption center cities are making shopping in China more seamless and attractive, further strengthening the country's appeal as a premier global marketplace," he said.

Tapestry Inc, a New York-based luxury goods group, highlighted its strong commitment to China's moves to promote the "Shopping in China" initiative. Sandeep Seth, the company's chief growth officer, described China as Tapestry's biggest growth opportunity in the coming years.

Seth said the company plans to add more than 100 new stores in China over the next three years. The expansion will increase its footprint from more than 400 stores in 90 cities to a presence in over 100 cities, extending from top-tier cities to county-level markets.

In addition to renovating 1,500 of its high-performing stores and further expanding its health and beauty product portfolio in the Chinese mainland in 2026, Watsons, the health and beauty retailer based in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, launched its first retro "Watson's the Chemist" themed pop-up store in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, last month and plans to introduce more shopping-themed activities in the Chinese mainland this year.

Inspired by traditional Western pharmacy, the store recreates an immersive and interactive space that brings to life the group's story since its establishment, allowing customers to step back in time and experience the brand's rich heritage.

In collaboration with multiple supplier partners, the pop-up store is also introducing more than 40 exclusive new products to the public.

China's retail sales of consumer goods, a major indicator of the country's consumption strength, climbed 3.7 percent year-on-year to 50.12 trillion yuan ($7.26 trillion) in 2025, data from the National Bureau of Statistics show.

In 2025, the number of foreign nationals entering and exiting China through all ports reached 82.04 million, up 26.4 percent year-on-year. By the end of 2025, nearly 13,000 tax-refund shops were operating nationwide, and sales of tax-refund goods surged by 95.9 percent compared with the previous year, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Yi Shaohua, a researcher at the National Academy of Economic Strategy of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said several favorable factors are expected to underpin steady consumption growth in China this year.

These include strong momentum in consumption upgrading, the sustained impact of pro-consumption policies, the continued rollout of the "Shopping in China" initiative, and preferential duty-free policies for both Chinese residents and overseas visitors at the Hainan Free Trade Port, she said.