China rolls out shopping campaign to boost Spring Festival consumption

BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- China will launch a special nine-day shopping campaign during the Spring Festival holiday to boost consumption, enrich cultural life, and stimulate market vitality, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) announced Monday.

The campaign, scheduled to run from Feb. 15 to Feb. 23, features activities across six areas, including dining, accommodation, transportation, tourism, shopping and entertainment, according to an action plan jointly issued by the MOC and eight other government departments.

Measures include promoting festive dining and reunion banquets, offering discounts on home appliances and home renovation, increasing transport capacity, organizing nationwide cultural and tourism consumption events, and rolling out shopping promotions in major commercial districts and discounts for cinema tickets.

A strong emphasis has also been placed on the expansion of "trade-in" programs, with increased subsidies for consumer goods to support physical retail stores.

Furthermore, the government intends to optimize the payment environment for international travelers by enhancing bank card, mobile payment, and cash services, ensuring a seamless experience for inbound tourists.

The Spring Festival, the most important traditional holiday in China, is typically a peak season for consumer spending, driven by family reunions, travel, dining, entertainment and gift purchases.

As domestic demand remains an important driver of economic growth, authorities have introduced a series of policy measures aimed at further unlocking consumption potential and stabilizing market expectations during the holiday period.