Consumption is the main engine driving economic growth. In Anhui, service consumption is rapidly upgrading, digital consumption is booming, and green consumption is setting new trends... A wave of new consumption scenarios, business models, and formats has emerged. In the first half of this year, Anhui's total retail sales of consumer goods reached 1.2051 trillion yuan, with its growth rate in the lead in the Yangtze River Delta region. 

The shift from "buying products" to integrated experiences that encompass "buying scenes, atmospheres, and emotions" reflects evolving consumer demands, driving supply-side optimization. The flourishing growth of new flagship stores, innovative scenarios, and emerging business models has become a highlight of the consumer market. To this end, Anhui has prioritized the "Consumer Scenario Innovation Project" as a key task, cultivating 100 new consumption scenarios under ten categories, including trendsetting shopping, sports and leisure, and vibrant nightlife. Digital consumption scenarios such as the metaverse and immersive experiences, as well as night economy initiatives combined with cultural tourism, and performances debuting in commercial districts and shopping malls, continue to meet people's new expectations for a high-quality life.

Currently, the province has established 41 provincial-level integrated development zones for commerce, culture, and tourism, along with 79 provincial-level characteristic commercial streets, and successfully attracted 637 various types of flagship stores (first shops). Driven by these new scenarios and business models, in the first half of the year, both the number of domestic tourists received by the province and domestic tourism spending increased by 7.0% and 7.2%, respectively.

By cultivating these integrated development zones for commerce, culture, sports, and tourism; attracting renowned commercial projects to set up operations; and enriching diverse consumer formats, among other measures, Anhui aims to enhance the capacity level of urban commerce and the quality of residents' consumption, continuously meeting their high-quality and diversified consumer demands.

The pursuit of "quality through innovation" is not only reflected in the creation of new consumption scenarios but also in the continuous expansion and reinforcement of policies like the "trade-in" program, which enhances residents' quality of life with superior products. Building on this foundation, localities have also made breakthroughs in areas such as access standards and service upgrades, promoting models like "leading enterprises + individual businesses" to extend the policy benefits of trade-ins to more residents. For instance, Yingzhou District in Fuyang City leveraged leading enterprises in industries such as home appliances, furniture, and automobiles to engage over 300 individual stores in urban and rural areas in the consumer goods quality upgrade initiative. This allows consumers in towns and villages to conveniently purchase branded products right at their doorstep while enjoying the same pricing discounts and after-sales services as those offered in urban retail outlets. 

Driven by supportive policies, proactive markets, and collaborative efforts from all parties, consumption capacity continues to rise. In the first half of this year, Anhui Province's total retail sales of consumer goods reached 1.2051 trillion yuan, ranking 9th nationwide in volume. Growth was 5.5%, matching the annual target, outpacing the national average by 0.5 percentage points, and topping the Yangtze River Delta region.  

Source: ANHUI NEWS