Green consumption, rental options embraced by youth

Beyond traditional buying and recycling, innovation is spawning new consumption models, with the concept of "renting instead of buying" taking root among the younger generation. Yan Xinyan, a Generation Z employee working in Beijing, represents this shift. To document her trip to the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in 2025, she rented a handheld gimbal camera. The device, which retails for 3,000 to 4,000 yuan, cost her only about 300 yuan for a 10-day rental.

By verifying her credit score, she was exempted from a deposit, and the entire process was handled online with delivery to her door. "The whole process was very convenient," Yan said.

Yan is not alone. A recent survey by the Social Survey Center of China Youth Daily showed that 77.3 percent of young respondents have experienced "renting instead of buying". Cross-analysis revealed this trend has been most prominent among the post-2000s generation at 82.2 percent, followed by the post-1985s (79.7 percent). Geographically, youth in second-tier cities (81.3 percent) are slightly more inclined to rent than those in first-tier cities. In terms of categories, digital products like cameras and drones top the list (42.5 percent).

This preference is largely driven by the rapid iteration of electronic products. Renting allows young consumers to experience the latest technology without bearing the high cost of depreciation.

Moreover, outdoor equipment follows closely at 38.9 percent, reflecting a lifestyle shift where users value the "experience" of camping or skiing over the "ownership" of bulky gear. Other popular categories include cultural items, tools and clothing.

Zhu Di, a researcher at the Institute of Sociology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said young people's consumption views are evolving.

"They are shifting from a polarized mode of 'giving up if unaffordable' or 'borrowing to own' to a rational decisionmaking process of 'defining needs first, then considering the path to realization'," Zhu said.

She added that young consumers are using flexible methods like bargaining, sharing and renting to meet their needs within their means. "This reflects a more mature and pragmatic consumption attitude among contemporary youth, which in turn is pushing market supply to respond."

Experts agreed that promoting green consumption is a collective effort involving the government, enterprises and consumers. "A critical aspect is guiding green consumption concepts and behavior. When consumers have the willingness and ability to consume green products with peace of mind, it drives the green transformation of related industries, smoothing the economic cycle. This is a vital direction for China's domestic market to move from big to strong," said Guo of the Economic Research Institute.