Report finds imported goods demand strong, not fully met

Demand remains strong for imported products in China, especially food and beverages, cosmetics, automobiles, watches and accessories, maternal care products and jewelry, driven by the country's ongoing consumption upgrade, a new report said.

According to a report released by the Ministry of Commerce, imported goods are an important part of the domestic consumption market, especially from a retail perspective, with a fourth of the surveyed 1,018 retailers claiming that nearly 50 percent of their revenue came from imported products. About 39.2 percent of the companies indicated that brands are the decisive factor in their choice of what to import, followed by aspects like safety, price, design and materials.

Over 85.5 percent of the surveyed companies indicated that they would maintain the current volume of imports next year, while 7.2 percent said they would increase the shipments, especially in categories like food and beverages, sportswear, maternal care products and cosmetics.