Infant formula products at a supermarket in Huai'an, east China’s Jiangsu province. (Photo/sipaphoto.com)

Chinese families who are planning or already have a second child are bringing new business opportunities to relevant industries.

The country implemented its second-child policy in January 2016. The following year, a total of 17.6 million new babies were born in Chinese hospitals, about 51 percent of which were second children.

The growing number of second children and the change of the demographic structure in China have exerted a profound influence on the consumption level and structure of families, said Xu Yingming, an official with the Ministry of Commerce.

Two-child families are spending more on mother-and-baby products, housekeeping, and training than one-child families, said Xu.

The mother-and-baby industry experienced explosive growth following the advent of more second children.

During the "Double 11" shopping spree this year, sales of baby formula products on the Chinese online marketplace Tmall increased by 115 percent, liquid milk by 136 percent, devices helping mothers recover after childbirth by 256 percent, and children’s clothes by 181 percent.

Zhang Yu, a mother in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, who gave birth to her second child one year ago, bought a 7-seat car for her family because a regular 5-seat car couldn’t fit a larger family.

However, some industries are falling behind. Travel services need to be upgraded to better serve families with two children. Currently, service packages provided by many scenic spots, hotels and airliners cater for only one child, neglecting the needs of families with two children, said a college teacher in Suzhou, east China’s Jiangsu province.

According to a report on parent-child room service needs recently released by Ctrip, one of China’s largest online travel agencies, families with two children have a higher demand for high-end hotel services, including entertainment facilities for children, separate beds, and hygiene products. The demand is currently much greater than the supply.