China has announced a five-year strategy to overhaul its retail sector after social consumer goods sales fell 0.6% year-on-year in May, marking the first decline since December 2022.
The Ministry of Commerce and eight other agencies published guidelines aiming to establish a modern retail system and cultivate globally competitive retailers by 2030. The plan encourages physical stores to serve as venues for leisure, immersive experiences, and socialising, while supporting digital transformation including drone deliveries and automated vending. Officials also pledged to promote artificial intelligence integration across retail operations.
The strategy targets false advertising, deceptive promotions, and unfair pricing practices as part of broader price governance efforts. Additionally, China plans to expand tax-refund shopping outlets for departing travellers to capture more tourist spending.