By Li Bin, People’s Daily
When selecting a pillow in Chinese market, one might found himself overwhelmed by the vast array of options. Even within the category of functional pillows, there is a wide variety, from the traditional ones made of buckwheat, cassia seed, and bamboo charcoal to the increasingly popular memory foam, latex, zero-pressure, and down pillows. When considering wellness needs, there are even more choices, with over a dozen types of Chinese herbal pillows alone.
The shapes of these pillows follow ergonomic principles, while their functions cater to personalized needs. The fillings are designed to aid in health and wellness. These small pillows embody both technological and industrial innovations.
This sense of being overwhelmed by choices is a common experience across various subcategories in consumer goods. Daily necessities are indispensable in people’s lives, offering an important window into China’s economic growth and its high-quality development.
Where does the growth in consumption come from? It arises from the precise identification of new consumer demands.
For example, toilet paper that easily clogs toilets has led to the rise of water-soluble toilet paper, which is both environmentally friendly and hygienic. Timed power outlets address safety concerns from leaving plugs in, while also saving energy. Stretchable storage boxes keep things organized; waterproof medical tape securely holds surgical dressings; safety box cutters make it easier to unpack deliveries. These small but clever products meet the needs of consumption upgrades, making life more convenient.
The strength of the Chinese economy lies in the evolving and upgrading demands from a consumer market of over 1.4 billion people, which continuously stimulates changes and upgrades in production and supply.
Demand is a broad concept but also reflects individual differences. For example, elderly consumers prioritize smart aging solutions and healthcare features when selecting daily necessities. Young people, who are keen on sharing and discovering new products on social platforms, often look for personalized, custom-made items, focusing more on brand value and shopping experience. Office workers, on the other hand, tend to choose practical items, like versatile power outlets and multifunctional storage boxes, that suit their work environment and help reduce stress.
China’s massive consumer market not only exhibits huge general demand but also embraces diverse individual needs. By tapping into these differentiated and personalized demands, many companies have been able to expand and strengthen themselves by aligning technological and industrial innovation.
The consumption of daily goods is not only essential for people’s daily lives but also crucial for the growth of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, social employment, and workers’ income. It serves as a clear example of the fundamental role that consumption plays in economic development.
From education and training to fitness and entertainment, and from healthcare to domestic services, small daily necessities cater to a wide range of service needs. The expanding consumption of daily necessities in China has brought about significant benefits for both consumers and manufacturers.
At a broader level, it is beneficial for both the present and the future to understand the overarching trends of increasing consumption demand among urban and rural residents, identify new demands from residents, enhance the supply of novel products from enterprises, and maintain a high-level balance between demand and supply.
China is actively integrating the strategy of expanding domestic demand with deepening supply-side structural reforms, a move with far-reaching positive implications.
Consumers shop for new clothes for the Chinese New Year in Hohhot, north China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Jan. 13, 2025. (Photo by Ding Genhou/People’s Daily Online)
Consumers buy mobile phones in a shopping mall in Nantong, east China’s Jiangsu province, Jan. 21, 2025. (Photo by Zhai Huiyong/People’s Daily Online)
