The Chengdu government announced its “first-store” economy plan in March 2019 as well as 35 “nighttime economy” pilot zones in August 2019, both of which are aimed at further exploring the city’s retail potential and promoting consumer growth.

The “first-store” economy is expected to assist Chengdu in achieving its goal of becoming an International Consumption Centre City and enhance the quality of the city’s retail market. The “nighttime economy” extends economic activity hours and raises the city’s overall consumption level, becoming another growth engine for Chengdu’s economy development. 

Total retail sales of consumer goods in Chengdu during the first three quarters of 2019 reached RMB542.9 billion, increasing by 9.7% year-on-year (YoY).

Chengdu continues to see consumption upgrades with retail sales of wearable digital equipment, new-energy vehicles, fitness and entertainment all increasing significantly over the past year.