Retailers gird up for Spring Festival shopping frenzy

As the country's biggest holiday approaches, the Chinese New Year — especially this year's extended nine-day break — has become a critical period for consumption, offering a vital window for retailers to bolster their performance.

With consumption levels reaching their peak, this period represents a strategic opportunity to capture market share and engage with consumers' growing demand for premium goods and fresh produce.

JD's 7Fresh supermarket chain has seized the opportunity with the simultaneous opening of two flagship stores in Beijing and Shanghai, further intensifying its retail network expansion nationwide.

The two new locations have already generated some buzz, with the Beijing store alone drawing over 35,000 customers on its opening day.

The store in Beijing spans more than 4,000 square meters and has quickly become a hot shopping destination. Freshness is the key in luring more consumers who seek high-quality food for their dining tables. Innovative offerings include "24-Hour Vegetables" and "24-Hour Eggs", which guarantee that produce is harvested and delivered to shelves within 24 hours.

Wumart Group, a Beijing-based retailer, is leveraging a robust promotional strategy, with activities such as "Crazy 4:30", a daily flash sale starting at 4:30 pm featuring discounted fresh food and ready-to-eat meals. The move is designed to capture the post-work rush and address demand for convenient dinner ingredients and holiday stockpiling.

A representative from Wumart Group, said, "Ensuring the steady supply of essential goods, coupled with a variety of promotions, optimized product offerings and enhanced customer service, is our top priority as we strive to meet both the practical and celebratory needs of consumers."

Data underscore the critical role of the Spring Festival in driving sales within the FMCG sector.

According to consultancy Worldpanel, about 20 percent of annual FMCG sales is estimated to have taken place during the Chinese New Year period in 2024. This figure is expected to have reached a historic high in 2025 in the previous six years, up 5.9 percent, driven by both increased purchasing frequency and consumer confidence.

In 2025, categories such as food, beverages, dairy, household products and personal care items all saw increased spending, according to Worldpanel.

Furthermore, out-of-home consumption gained momentum, with reports showing a 10 percent year-over-year increase in foot traffic to restaurants and other dining establishments during the 2025 holiday period.