China's consumption shifts toward smart, health-related products: commerce ministry

BEIJING -- China's consumer market showed a stronger move toward smart, health-related and higher-quality products in the first eight months of 2026, with sales of smart glasses on major platforms surging 120 percent year-on-year, the Ministry of Commerce said on Sunday.

Sales of electrocardiogram monitors jumped 75 percent during this period, while those of action cameras and organic food rose 26.9 percent and 7.4 percent, respectively, according to an official with the ministry.

The latest breakdown offers a closer look at changes within China's consumer market after official data revealed that the combined retail sales of goods and services rose 2.5 percent year-on-year in the January-August period.

Demand also remained robust for a range of consumption-upgrade products. Sales of communication equipment increased 16.3 percent, while cosmetics items registered growth of 6.1 percent, and sales of cultural products and office supplies were up by 6 percent.

In contrast, sales of petroleum products fell 6.1 percent year-on-year in this period, which the official partly attributed to substitution by new-energy products.

Services continued to outpace goods consumption. Retail sales of services expanded 4.9 percent in the first eight months of 2026, 3.9 percentage points faster than retail sales of goods.

Demand for tourism consulting and rental services, as well as cultural, sports and leisure services, maintained relatively rapid growth during the summer holiday season, as Chinese consumers increasingly spent on services alongside physical goods, according to the official.

Consumption growth also continued to spread beyond major cities. Rural retail sales of consumer goods reached 4.4 trillion yuan (about $651.65 billion), up 2.3 percent year-on-year, and 1.3 percentage points faster than the growth recorded in urban areas.

Boosting consumption remains a policy priority for China this year. In July, China unveiled a five-year plan for expanding consumption, outlining measures to upgrade both goods and services consumption and expand quality services in areas including catering, tourism, elderly care and healthcare.

China has also expanded policy support for smart and energy-efficient consumption. Under its 2026 consumer goods trade-in program, backed by ultra-long special treasury bonds, subsidies cover automobiles, six categories of home appliances and four types of digital and smart products.

Smart glasses were included among the nationally subsidized digital and smart products for 2026, with eligible purchases receiving subsidies of 15 percent of the sales price, capped at 500 yuan per item.