consumption

China Has Had Enough of Heavily Photoshopped Headshots

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

Many young Chinese choose to get headshots for official documents done at professional studios. But growing restrictions could bring the practice to an end.

Li Xin

Li Miaoran

Gold Testers: How a Fake Review App Hacked China’s Shopping Platforms

The app influenced China’s top e-commerce platforms on a staggering scale, recruiting hundreds of thousands of gig workers to post billions of fake reviews.

Fan Yiying

Cigarette Sales Are Rising in China, Defying Global Trend

The use of “slim cigarettes” and a slowdown in official anti-tobacco efforts is concerning experts.

Lin Liuhan

For Alibaba, This Year’s ‘Singles’ Day’ Is a Brutal Dogfight

As it gears up for its flagship shopping festival, the Chinese e-commerce giant is fighting a desperate battle to defend its market share.

He Qitong

National Day Splurge: Tourist Spending Hits $99 Billion

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

Travelers made 765 million trips over the weeklong holiday, with nontraditional destinations like Datong and Changsha among those reaping the rewards.

The Paper

How McDonald’s Became China’s New Favorite Wedding Venue

Young Chinese are increasingly opting for simple, affordable wedding ceremonies. That’s leading many to the golden arches.

Jiang Xinyi

China Confronts a Worrying New Scam: Vanishing Businesses

The owners of struggling gyms, beauty salons, and tuition centers are hiring professional “store closers” to help them suddenly disappear without a trace — and take their customers’ money with them.

China’s Livestream Industry Has a Fraud Problem

Livestreamers are routinely faking sales data and selling counterfeit products to boost their profits, a new investigation claims.

Extreme Weather Sends Food Prices Soaring in China

Vegetable prices have spiked over 40% after a summer blighted by heat waves and severe flooding.

Not All Fun and Games: Collectible Card Craze Grips China’s Youth

As a new collectible card trend sweeps the country, there are concerns that the hobby is fueling addictive tendencies among children.

The ‘Pink’ Premium: Why Women in China Still Pay More for Less

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

For years, global campaigns have opposed the “pink tax,” where products marketed to women are priced higher than those for men. In China, the debate intensified recently when university students sued cosmetics giant L’Oréal for discriminatory pricing of facial cleansers.

Zhang Zhen

Why China’s Small Merchants Are Checking Out of Mega Shopping Fests

Frustrated by high return rates and dwindling profits, small merchants are questioning the long-term viability of discount-driven shopping festivals. Some are even opting out and returning to more traditional business models.

Ye Zhanhang

In China, Starbucks Feels the Heat From Homegrown Coffee Chains

Amid a dip in sales driven by competition from affordable local brands, Starbucks is under fire for high prices and lower service quality. In response, the company is upping efforts to enhance customer experiences and tailor its product offerings.

Chinese Parents Falling Prey to Dubious Myopia ‘Miracle Cures’

With half of Chinese children now near-sighted, vendors are flooding the market with questionable eye treatments — from “AI glasses” to “miracle drugs.”

In China, a Major Battle Between Publishers and Big Tech

In an industry first, dozens of publishing houses have announced they will boycott e-commerce platform JD.com’s “618” shopping festival.

For Stressed Young Chinese, Chiikawa Toys Are Digital Ibuprofen

Based on the hugely popular Japanese manga, Chiikawa characters are growing more popular in China. Until now, Chinese fans could only buy merchandise through proxy shoppers at inflated prices from overseas.

Ding Xiaoyan

Chinese Detergent Brand in a Spin Over Sexist Ad Campaign

Washing powder maker Blue Moon ran a campaign calling for people to “Make laundry easier for mom” this Mother’s Day. Women responded they’d rather their partners took care of it.

Chinese Shopping Platforms Phase Out Unpopular Presale Schemes

China’s leading e-commerce platforms used to encourage users to reserve goods weeks in advance of major shopping festivals. But shoppers often complained of late shipments and mysterious price hikes.

Lotteries to Cowshed Cafés: How China’s Small Coffee Shops Survive

With space for independent and small-scale cafés shrinking in China’s competitive coffee shop market, many are carving out niches to challenge big brand chains.

Ding Rui

Li Dongxu

Demand for Insurance Is Rising in China, Report Finds

Chinese household spending on insurance rose in 2023, with private pensions, health insurance, and pet insurance among the main growth areas.