Shoppers targeted in bid to boost spending

Capital welcomes move

In Beijing, consumers and business operators have hailed the decision to issue e-vouchers to residents.

On June 3, authorities in the capital announced they would offer vouchers worth a total of 12.2 billion yuan and distribute them through several rounds.

The municipal government said the policy would be in effect from June 6 to the National Day holiday in early October.

However, it was announced on Monday that all offline promotional activities would be suspended due to new COVID-19 cases discovered at the Xinfadi Wholesale Market in the southwest of the city.

This month alone, the vouchers are being distributed in four batches-on June 6, June 13, June 20 and June 27.

The first batch on June 6 was distributed through e-commerce company JD and an official WeChat account. The vouchers can be used at restaurants and retailers in Beijing, as well as to buy products online.

Data compiled in the days following the release showed the efforts were paying off.

Chaoyang Hopson One, the second-largest shopping center in Beijing, occupying an area of 190,000 square meters, held a series of events related to the vouchers and helped shops promote such activities. The vouchers can be used in some 80 percent of shops in the mall.

During the weekend, the number of visitors to the mall returned to the level seen at this time last year.

Zhang Xi, chief branding officer for the mall operator, Hopson Commercial Properties, said sales revenue at all premises owned by the group rose after the government started offering the vouchers.

"We hope more activities like this will be held, and we will actively cooperate with the government to boost consumption," Zhang said.

The Beijing Department Store in Wangfujing saw rises of 30 percent and 28 percent, respectively, in visitors and revenue on June 6, compared with the previous day. The number of visitors to the store on June 6 was about 85 percent of the level seen on that date last year.

The vouchers have played an important role in boosting consumption, according to JD. On June 6, some 39 percent of them were used in restaurants in Beijing and 61 percent in physical stores, it said.

Ding Leilei, a young engineer in the city, who always orders takeout for lunch, found that he could obtain a 10-yuan voucher when he paid for his food.

"It makes me feel good," he said. "Who would be unhappy about enjoying the same product for less money?"

To encourage consumption, Fengtai is just one of many districts in the city that have staged a range of events to attract consumers.

On June 6, He Hong, a flower arranging enthusiast in Fengtai, took part in a special promotional event staged by the district government to boost consumption.

"Dressed in traditional Chinese costumes, we had a lesson about flower culture and arrangement at a cultural center, which I greatly enjoyed," she said. "I would like to spend money on such services, as well as on beautiful flowers. Plus, I've got the coupons from the government."