BEIJING: China has launched a nationwide Spring Festival shopping campaign backed by more than 2 billion yuan ($289 million) in consumer incentives, as authorities move to strengthen domestic demand and sustain economic growth momentum.
At a press briefing on Wednesday, Vice Commerce Minister Sheng Qiuping announced the “Happy Shopping for the Chinese New Year” campaign, jointly organized by the Ministry of Commerce and nine other government departments. The initiative aims to stimulate spending during the nine-day holiday through a mix of subsidies, rewards and promotional activities.
Local governments have allocated 2.05 billion yuan in funding, which will be distributed via consumer vouchers, subsidies and digital “red envelope” giveaways. The campaign is designed to benefit shoppers across both urban centers and rural markets.
Nationwide effort covering all sectors
Sheng described the campaign as more than a promotional push, calling it a nationwide festive consumption drive. It mobilizes dozens of national business associations and integrates commercial streets, shopping malls, retail outlets and county-level markets to create a vibrant holiday atmosphere.
The initiative spans the full spectrum of holiday spending, offering support for dining, accommodation, transport, tourism, shopping and entertainment.Restaurants are promoting New Year’s Eve reunion dinners, while retailers in home furnishings and household appliances are rolling out special discounts. Hotels and homestays are offering bundled holiday packages.
Transport operators are increasing capacity to handle holiday travel demand, and airlines are introducing special festive meal services. Cultural and leisure activities, including temple fairs and traditional heritage performances, are also being expanded to enhance the holiday experience. Authorities have also directed shopping districts and rural markets to ensure adequate supplies of seasonal goods and launch targeted promotional campaigns.
Invoice lottery and trade-in subsidies
To provide direct financial benefits, the government is introducing a large-scale invoice lottery program in 50 pilot cities. During a six-month trial, up to 10 billion yuan in rewards will be distributed, with more than 1 billion yuan expected to be awarded during the Spring Festival alone.
Consumers who obtain invoices worth over 100 yuan for purchases such as shopping, dining, tourism or accommodation can enter prize draws, with a maximum reward of 800 yuan.In addition, an initial 62.5 billion yuan in national subsidies has been allocated for consumer goods trade-in programs. The funds have already been distributed to local authorities, which will expand subsidy access during the holiday period to ensure smooth implementation.
The campaign also targets inbound tourism. Around 13,000 tax-refund stores nationwide have prepared products for international visitors, who can combine vouchers, invoice lottery participation and tax-refund savings of up to 10 percent.
Consumption central to growth strategy
The Spring Festival push aligns with China’s broader strategy to promote consumption-led growth amid a challenging domestic and global economic environment.
In 2025, China’s total retail sales of consumer goods surpassed 50 trillion yuan for the first time. Final consumption expenditure contributed 52 percent to economic growth, up five percentage points from the previous year.
Trade-in programs generated 2.61 trillion yuan in sales and supported more than 366 million transactions. Service retail sales rose 5.5 percent, while tax-refund shopping surged 95.9 percent year on year, driven by improved visa facilitation and refund policies.
Officials say the 2026 Spring Festival campaign is expected to build on this momentum, reinforcing efforts to expand domestic demand and strengthen China’s internal market as a key pillar of long-term economic development.
