China Haul trend shows foreign shoppers buying more than souvenirs

Why it matters: China has been expanding visa-free entry and refining its departure tax refund system to attract foreign visitors. The 'China Haul' trend shows shopping is becoming a reason to visit, not just a holiday side activity, which could reshape how foreign tourists plan trips and how Chinese cities market themselves.

A social media trend dubbed 'China Haul', in which foreign visitors share videos of purchases made in China, has prompted China's Commerce Ministry to describe three new features of inbound consumption.

Yang Mu, director of the ministry's market operation and consumption promotion department, said at a State Council Information Office briefing on October 22 that the trend reflects growing recognition of 'Shopping in China', according to the briefing.

The first change is in what visitors buy. Traditional specialties such as tea and silk are giving way to tech gadgets, guochao (domestic-trend) fashion, Chinese-style wellness products, cosmetics and designer toys, Yang said.

The second is where they shop. Purchases once concentrated in core commercial districts of major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen now take place in large and small cities and ordinary streets, according to Yang.

The third is why they travel. Shopping is moving from an add-on to a main purpose of the trip, with many foreign visitors researching and making must-buy lists before arriving, Yang said.

To support this, the Commerce Ministry has expanded departure tax refund policies. Since last year it has issued upgraded versions of the policy with steps including relaxed store registration rules, a lower minimum purchase threshold, paperless processing and wider 'buy and refund on the spot' service.

In the first eight months of this year, national departure tax refund sales rose about 60% year on year, and the number of people claiming refunds tripled, according to Yang.

The ministry has also supported upgrades to major shopping districts, added tax refund stores, improved multilingual services and made payments more convenient. China now has more than 18,000 tax refund stores, four times the number at the end of 2024, Yang said.

Yang added that the ministry will continue promoting the 'Shopping in China' brand, expand tax refund coverage and improve services such as foreign card payments.