Spring Festival redefines Chinese consumer behavior

Spring Festival: Chinese holiday retail trends signal evolution in consumer behavior

14-02-2026

China’s traditional Spring Festival holiday shopping habits are undergoing a meaningful transformation as consumers shift their focus from routine purchases to experiences, lifestyle expression, and emotional connection—reshaping the retail landscape for the 2026 holiday season. According to a recent industry outlook by NielsenIQ on Year of the Horse Spring Festival Retail Trends, retailers and brands are being encouraged to rethink their strategies to thrive in this evolving market environment, prioritizing the creation of meaningful rituals and cost-effective gifting as core growth drivers for the season.

In contrast to a historical emphasis on basic consumption, today’s shoppers are increasingly seeking emotional value and self-expression through their purchases. The report highlights that during the 22 days leading up to the 2025 Spring Festival, China experienced a remarkable surge in cross-regional mobility exceeding 5.5 billion trips—an 8 percent increase year-on-year—while consumer willingness to increase holiday spending in 2026 also rose by around 11 percent, according to a mid-year survey.

Another notable trend is the expansion of holiday consumption beyond China’s major urban hubs into lower-tier cities and county-level markets, fueled in part by a wave of return-home travel and tourism typical of the Spring Festival holiday. These smaller markets have become essential centers of economic activity, as hometown supermarkets and local stores emerge as key venues for Chinese New Year purchases that once were concentrated in larger cities. Instant retail platforms, for example, saw a striking 42 percent year-on-year increase in orders, while time-honored brands are increasingly collaborating with local experience providers and integrating intangible cultural heritage elements to attract consumers.

The NielsenIQ analysis also underscores changes in gifting and dining practices during the Spring Festival economy, with premium gift boxes—particularly those focused on health and wellness—expected to continue strong growth. Meanwhile, convenience remains a central theme in the dining sector, with premade holiday meals generating more than 20 billion yuan (approximately $2.89 billion) in sales during the 2025 Spring Festival, representing a year-on-year increase of over 50 percent.

Underpinning all these trends is the idea that modern holiday spending is increasingly shaped by lifestyle preferences, emotional resonance, and experiential engagement rather than simple transactional behavior. Family celebrations are evolving too, with younger generations adopting more flexible reunion models that blend cultural tourism activities with traditional gatherings, contributing to broader patterns of seasonal travel and consumer participation.

As China’s consumer market continues to adapt and mature, these shifts in behavior—forged by changing tastes, cultural dynamics, and rising expectations—signal opportunities and challenges for businesses seeking to align with the country’s fast-evolving retail and tourism ecosystem. The Spring Festival, long a cornerstone of domestic travel and consumption cycles, now stands at the intersection of tradition and innovation, reflecting not only deep cultural roots but also the nuanced aspirations of the contemporary Chinese consumer.

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