Shoppers scooping up gifts for New Year (2)

In a survey about present selection conducted by Suning Appliance Co, a leading home appliance company, more than 61 percent interviewed said they hoped to receive electronic products as gifts.

The survey showed the majority of Spring Festival presents purchased by companies before 2008 were grain, oil, cigarettes and liquor, with only 18 percent going to home appliances. But since 2008, about 70 percent of holiday gifts for employees and clients are appliances related to health.

More than half of company management and employees prefer to receive fashionable electronic products as their lucky-draw rewards at year-end conferences, the survey showed. Seafood packages, green and organic food, wine and olive oil are also popular on gift lists, Gao said.

Prices for home appliances as gifts were also on the rise, from a minimum of 500 yuan to 2,000 yuan.

Green and organic food from home and abroad are top sellers at WAOW Plaza, a high-end department store recently opened at Hangzhou city of Zhejiang province, said Xia Lili, the store's general manager. "The days when people celebrate the arrival of the Lunar New Year with a piece of fish and a piece of chicken are gone. They want to eat healthy and eat smart," Xia said.

At Wal-Mart supermarkets across the country, imported wines are promoted in addition to traditional festival goods such as nuts and liquor, according to Vivian Jiang, public relations manager at Wal-Mart (China) Investment Co Ltd.