Enterprises eye China's huge consumer market

Visitors get to know the "deep sleep cabin "from Air Nutri Solution Inc, a Vancouver, Canada-based non-medicinal sleep solutions provider, during the China International Consumer Products Expo 2025 in Haikou, Hainan province, in April. （LUO YUNFEI/CHINA NEWS SERVICE）

By leveraging policy advantages and adopting innovative approaches, both Chinese as well as foreign businesses are expanding their reach across industries, propelling growth in China's vast consumption market.

In the just-concluded China International Consumer Products Expo 2025 in Hainan province, foreign giants like Burberry and CP Group have shown optimism and long-term commitment to the Chinese market.

Several foreign brands that are new to China, like Steelite, are also being enticed by its vast market potential, opting to debut their products and services in the country.

Some overseas enterprises have also selected China as their prime global launchpad for new products.

Faced with geopolitical conflicts and trade uncertainties, Chinese trade entities are also on the lookout for fresh domestic growth opportunities. Following the latest round of robust policies, they are expanding their domestic sales arenas.

"A stable and predictable international trade system, based on fair and transparent rules, is essential for sustained global prosperity. By expanding imports and facilitating two-way investment, China creates opportunities for countries around the world to share its growth," said Zhang Xiangchen, deputy director-general of the WTO, who delivered a speech via video link at the expo.

The expo, which concluded on April 18, attracted the participation of a record 1,767 companies and 4,209 consumer brands from 71 countries and regions this year, according to the local government of Hainan.

It led to 52 cooperation agreements, with a total value of around 92 billion yuan ($12.6 billion).

Business executives and experts said that the Chinese market brims with potential. Thriving sectors such as the low-altitude economy and new energy vehicles are propelling related industries to stand out on the global stage, thereby further unlocking consumption possibilities.

British luxury brand Burberry, a five-time participant at the consumer expo, said China is one of the most important and dynamic markets globally, and the country's high-level opening-up has enabled the world to share the potential and opportunities of its market.

"China boasts the advantage of a super large-scale consumption market. Chinese consumers' demand for high-quality products and services has driven the upgrading and development of the consumption markets in the country and globally," said Josie Zhang, president of Burberry Greater China.

"The growth of the Chinese market comes from different types of consumers, with the rise of emerging consumer groups. In the long run, China is expected to continuously play an important role in driving global high-end consumption," Zhang said.

Lily Yang, associate brand director of OSIM China, a Singapore-based health products provider, highlighted the expo as a national-level platform that has incentivized over 150 international brands to establish their first stores in Hainan through measures like "first-store economy" incentives and "tax-free +consumption upgrade" policies.