Chinese consumer: Inside, the inside has been permanently confronted with an unstable economy and always new challenges. This is also reflected in your shopping behavior.
Although uncertainties such as the trade dispute with the United States and the real estate crisis, consumers are additionally strain on the inside and dampen the consumption mood, private households seem to be increasingly arranging themselves with the new reality. This is also evident in the economic development of the People’s Republic, which recorded growth of gross domestic product (GDP) of 5.3 percent in the first half of the year.
But what does the adapted shopping behavior mean for China’s fashion market? Insider: Inside give an insight.
Consumer: Inside adapt to
Laura Darmon, chief buyer of the trendy Chinese luxury fashion retailer, is closely observed in consumer behavior both in the middle price segment and in the luxury market: “Customers are more reserved and tends to think twice before buying.”
The Chines: Inside, with regard to their financial prospects remain careful because they take care of their jobs and the loss of value of their real estate. In comparison, the average household income also grows slower – 1.4 percent in 2025 compared to 2.5 percent in 2024.
In 2025, consumption is expected to grow similarly as in the previous year, as from a consumer: Interior survey by the consulting company McKinsey, which was published in May. According to this year, a growth rate of 2.3 percent is to be achieved – in 2024 it was 2.4 percent.
In this inconsistent overall situation, the consumers adapt their output behavior, according to the study. Buying decisions are therefore increasingly based on factors such as your own assets instead of confidence into the future. In particular, wealthy city dwellers are supposed to strive to achieve a higher quality of life and greater personal fulfillment inside despite falling expectations, even if this means to use your own savings.
Overall, people who live in Chinese cities would spend more money than people in rural regions, but there would also be an increase in expenses in the country, said Chen Dapeng, President of the China International Fashion Fair (Chic), at a press conference at the beginning of the month during the fashion fair. Due to the increasing online purchases, which now make up more than half, but with the available data, it is sometimes difficult to classify where the orders come from.
In the first half of 2025, the fashion trade was able to record a low increase of 3.1 percent in the previous year, as can be seen from McKinsey’s data from the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, which the consulting company published in August. In the meantime-in the categories of household appliances, sports and outdoor-the online trade received a boost through the 618 shopping festival-an e-commerce event that took place around June 18 and, according to the market research company Syntun, recorded strong growth of gross star value (GMV) of 15.2 percent.
What ends up in the shopping cart?
Darmon, who, in addition to her role as a purchaser, also founded the consulting company Envison that the brands help to position itself in the Chinese market, believes that “hype products” and collaborations can continue to be sold well, “although the sales have slowed down due to the economic climate and market saturation.” It is important that the price continues to be accessible to the consumers: inside. Overall, the consumers would “pay more attention to the price, buy more rarely and approach purchases with greater caution”.
According to the McKinsey survey, clothing and sportswear are not one of the top priorities-such as education, health or travel-but do not fall below the risk categories in which a decline in expenses is forecast.
In the clothing category – without sportswear – 41 percent of those surveyed stated that their expenses and your buying behavior will not change. Almost a quarter plans to spend more, while 16 percent information that their expenses will remain the same, but their behavior will change. This is 18 percent who want to reduce their expenses in the area. On average, this area is only six percent of net expenses. For 2025, expenditure growth of 0.9 percent is expected, in 2024 it was 2.1 percent.
A similar distribution results in the area of sports clothing. However, the area makes eight percent of net expenses and while the forecast expenditure growth 2024 percentage has been at a height with clothing, expectations for 2025 are slightly higher than in the other category at 1.1 percent.
Chen, who is also the president of the Chinese clothing association China National Garment Association, sees that categories such as sportswear and outdoor perform better than other segments. Although demand on the market is rather low overall, the volume remains relatively constant.
Be active is the new luxury
The Chinese luxury market felt a reserved consumption mood due to the economic uncertainties. The turnover decreased by 18 to 20 percent in 2024, as can be seen from the “2024 China Luxury Goods Market” study by the management consultancy Bain & Company. The consumers: inside would behave more rationally in terms of luxury expenses and, because of the frequent price increases with limited product innovation, cautiously show up when buying. Instead, they spend more for travel and outdoor activities.
“The outdoor trend of ‘Gorpcore’ is currently very popular, with sports focusing on,” summarizes Darmon. “Climbing, cycling and tennis clothing records increasing demand.”
The success of the Swiss sporting man on the Chinese market-the proceeds in the Asian-Pacific region were more than doubled in the second quarter-and the “almost always full” flagship store of the outwear brand Arc’Teryx illustrated the strong demand, according to the buyer. In addition to sporting clothing, the sales of products such as sports equipment and accessories also benefit from it.
One reason for the fact that the Gorpcore trend in China is much larger and continues even longer than in Europe, showed their products for Darmon after the last Olympic games and luxury brands through cooperation with Chinese athlete: “National cup, combined with social media dynamics, helps this trend in China to last much longer than in Europe.”
The chic boss Dapeng also takes this connection to her homeland in the style of the younger Chines: inside. These would wear fashion inspired by traditional robes and present them “with self -confidence”. A tendency that goes hand in hand with global developments to a conservative-shaped society.
While Outdoor and their own roots stimulate Chinese consumers: in the meantime, luxurious fashion and lifestyle products have to book declines between 15 and 20 percent on the Chinese mainland.
Because of its seasonality, the segment did not record as strong declines as the product groups jewelry (-25 to -30 percent) and watches (-28 to -33 percent). Leather goods were in between with a decline of 20 to 25 percent.