Modern Revival of Traditional Foods

Harbin red sausage (hongchang), a signature food from China's northeastern region, is gaining renewed attention from consumers nationwide through online platforms. This sausage, boasting a century of history, is made with a 2:8 ratio of fat to lean meat, earning praise as "every bite is meat."

With the growth of e-commerce platforms, cases of regional specialties entering the national market are increasing. Beyond Harbin red sausage, various products including Russian honey and French brand ELLE travel bags are targeting consumers through online discount sales.

Shifts in Consumer Trends

Recently in the Chinese consumer market, the combination of cost-effectiveness and traditional value has established itself as a major trend. From razors in the 200-yuan range to premium products in the 2,000-yuan range, consumers are pursuing rational consumption by comparing product differences across price points.

The traditional crafts market is also gaining momentum. Purple clay teapots (zisha hu) fired in ancient dragon kilns (gulong yao) with wood fuel are attracting collectors' interest, as each product possesses unique characteristics and is crafted by master artisans.

Policies to Stimulate Domestic Market

People's Daily editorial board member Zhong Caiping recently emphasized in a column that "we must build a strong domestic market by comprehensively promoting consumption stimulation and investment expansion." This demonstrates that the Chinese government's domestic demand promotion policies are spreading across various sectors including food, daily necessities, and traditional crafts.

In particular, the expansion of online sales for regional specialties is being evaluated as a strategy that can simultaneously achieve consumption activation and regional economic development. As cases of traditional products incorporating modern marketing increase, consumers are gaining more diverse options.