2024 Chinese Maternity and Baby Industry Trend Reflected in the Spring Festival Consumption Data

The consumption data trend in the Spring Festival reflects some new trends in the China maternity market trends in 2024.

Recent reports show that Spring Festival consumption trends exceeded expectations in 2024.
The travel flow during the Chinese New Year holiday was robust. According to relevant data, passenger flow in key business districts hit 250 million. That’s an 18% increase from last year. Consumption in 2024 is clearly on an upward trajectory.

Which products sold well during the Spring Festival?

What new consumption patterns emerged in 2024? More importantly, what can the China maternity market learn from these trends? This report answers those questions.

1. China-Chic Going Viral

During the Spring Festival, Spring Festival consumption trends highlight a surge in China-chic products. From food and clothing to cultural and creative products, China-chic elements are leading a new wave of national consumption.

In fashion, the incorporation of traditional Chinese elements into modern clothing, known as “New Chinese Style”, has become one of the most significant trends this year. Traditional Chinese elements such as embroidery, frog knots, and ink-wash effects are exerting a strong appeal on Gen-Z. There has been a sharp increase in searches for Hanfu since January. Mamianqun emerged as the most popular item in the Hanfu category. According to JD.com’s 2024 Spring Festival consumption observation, transactions for New Chinese Style clothing increased by over 100%. Mamianqun and Hanfu also saw turnover growth of over 100%.

Toys with Chinese dragon elements are also going viral in both domestic and international markets. JD.com’s data reveals that turnover for dragon-themed toys has more than quadrupled year-on-year. Data from the AliExpress platform also indicates that during the Spring Festival holiday, global sales of toys featuring the Chinese dragon elements increased by 50 times compared to the previous period.

2. Self-Gratification Consumption on the Rise

In recent years, emotional value has become a crucial driving factor affecting consumer decisions, as self-gratification consumption emerges as a key trend within Spring Festival consumption trends.

According to JD.com’s data, the New Year Goods Festival witnessed a remarkable surge in the turnover of jewelry and accessories, registering an impressive 120% year-on-year increase. Consumers born in the 1990s and 2000s are the predominant force behind the rising demand for jewelry and accessories. This transformative shift in consumer psychology is steering the consumer base away from being solely budget-conscious and practical. Instead, they are becoming rational pleasure-seekers. The evolving preferences of these consumer groups not only propel the evolution of the consumption market,
but also infuse fresh vitality into market growth.

For the China maternity market trends, seizing the self-gratification consumption tendency of the new generation of parents can become an exploratory breakthrough. After all, contemporary parents’ views on parenting are undergoing significant changes. Compared to the previous generation’s spirit of self-sacrifice, the focus on themselves and the consideration of their own values have become the new parenting mentality for the next generation of moms and dads.

3. Customers Demanding Health and Fun in Snacks

Consumer preferences for snacks have expanded beyond just taste, now encompassing health and fun — an emerging part of Spring Festival consumption trends.

JD.com’s data reveals that consumers are increasingly focusing on the health and functionality of snacks. In the children’s snack category, snacks containing ingredients like flaxseed, DHA, and high calcium are popular. Transactions for flaxseed biscuits and high calcium cheese biscuits have grown by over 10 times and 105% respectively, compared to the previous year.

4. Conveniece Being Favored in Smart Home Applicances

Furthermore, consumers’ appreciation for fun snacks has also fueled the development of the “food-play” industry. New trends like mysterious boxes and collaborations with big IPs have entered the snack category. The “food-play” category continues to diversify. Unconventionally shaped snacks, creative packaging, and novel eating methods add to the whole snack experience. The “food-play” industry is rapidly advancing into a fast lane of development. This also contributes to wider China maternity market trends, involving family and child-centered consumption.

In 2024, the retail market for major home appliances will continue the upward trend seen since last year, aligned with broader Spring Festival consumption trends.

Data from JD.com highlights the heightened popularity of smart home appliances designed to enhance convenience by freeing up hands. Smart kitchen gadgets, stir-fry robots, and coffee machines have become particularly favored by consumers. Larger appliances like underwear washing machines, shoe washers, and washing-drying combos are also popular.Additionally, there is a growing preference for cleanliness-focused electrical appliances.
These include clothing disinfection machines, desktop instant hot water dispensers, and dehumidifiers, contributing to a healthier home environment.

It is evident that convenience, time-saving, and effort-saving have become crucial dimensions influencing consumer decisions in the home appliance sector.

This aligns with the demands of the new generation of parents. In 2023, nearly 7 million parents searched for parenting tips on Xiaohongshu. Topics like “effortlessly raising baby” attracted billions of views. Smart parenting small appliances catering to the preferences of the “smart,” “portable,” and “hands-free” parenting approach are expected to become focal points for attention. Examples include smart baby monitors, intelligent milk warmers, smart baby cribs, and intelligent pregnancy monitoring devices — all of which represent key directions in China maternity market trends.

5. Outdoor Activities Becoming Trendy

During the Spring Festival, sales of skiing sports equipment on JD.com surged by 60% compared to the previous year. Notably, face masks/helmets, snowboard fixatives, and ski clothing sets saw a twofold increase in turnover, while items such as ski goggles, ski poles, and ski pants experienced growth of over 80%. These changes highlight one of the most dynamic Spring Festival consumption trends in 2024. The burgeoning outdoor enthusiasm of 2024 is poised to fuel further consumer spending frenzy. Additionally, insights gleaned from user activity, content trends, and product engagement on Douyin suggest the following: The conclusion of the winter sports season will usher in a fresh surge of interest in water sports. This trend is particularly spurred by anticipation for the Paris Olympics in 2024.

For the China maternity market trends, there is an opportunity to continue leveraging the growth brought by the outdoor trend. Exploring new demands from the perspective of children’s skiing protective gear, water sports equipment, and other related areas can be a strategic approach to capitalize on this trend.