China Bans More Beauty Products From South Korea February 15, 2017: 12:00 AM EST China has banned more beauty care products from South Korea. In January 2017, China blocked the import of 19 cosmetics products from South Korea, citing “sanitary issues and other concerns.” Market observers, however, believe China’s action was in retaliation for South Korea’s installation of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense antiballistic missile system. Many of the products on the embargo list are made by smaller cosmetics brands, such as Iaso, Ottie, and Aekyung. Crystal Tai, "China Increases Its Ban of South Korean Beauty Brands", Women’s Wear Daily, February 15, 2017, © Penske Media Corporation

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Middle-Class Consumers Driving Growth In China's Beauty Market, Report Shows January 31, 2017: 12:00 AM EST China's middle class, composed of more than 100 million families, is driving growth in the country's beauty care market, according to Kantar Worldpanel. Data from the market research firm revealed middle-class consumers have more confidence about the future and, hence, are more likely to buy more and purchase big brands. They use the internet to find product information and are more ready to try new products and adopt new trends. Also, middle-class consumers accounted for more than half of the incremental sales in various categories of the beauty market. Jason Yu, "Middle class pivotal to China’s beauty market", Kantar Worldpanel, January 31, 2017, © Kantar Worldpanel

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Consumer FMCG Spending Growth Continues In China, Report Says January 27, 2017: 12:00 AM EST Consumers in China bought 2.2 percent more FMCG products during the 12-week period ending December 2, 2016, compared with the same period in the previous year, according to Kantar Worldpanel China. Data from the market research firm showed online spending grew 50 percent during the period, which includes the Double 11 festival. For the four-week period ending December 2, 2016, ecommerce penetration grew to a record 20.5 percent, driven by Double 11 festival spending. "China’s ecommerce grows by 50%", Kantar Worldpanel, January 27, 2017, © Kantar Worldpanel

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Dove Hair China Launches Online Campaign Calling On Women To Be Proud Of Hairstyle January 18, 2017: 12:00 AM EST Unilever's Dove Hair China brand launched its “My hair: It has to be my way” online campaign in the country. Featuring various women of different ages and highlighting the brand's “Real beauty by real women” brand slogan, the campaign seeks to empower women to remain true to themselves by coming out with their individual choice of hairstyle. Developed by Ogilvy & Mather Shanghai, the campaign includes an online movie, social media content, and follow-up videos featuring Chinese women sharing their hairstyle stories. Inti Tam, "Dove Encourages Women to Wear Their Hair with Pride", Marketing-Interactive, January 18, 2017, © marketing-interactive.com by Lighthouse Independent Media

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Alpecin Launches Retail And Online Channels In China January 17, 2017: 12:00 AM EST Dr. Wolff is now selling its Alpecin line of shampoos in China. According to the company, it entered the China market in April 2016 to help ease Alpecin shortages in Germany and provide Chinese consumers with convenient and safe channel for buying the anti-hairloss shampoos. Alpecin products are available in more than 2,000 Watsons stores across the country, as well as on e-commerce site Tmall. "Alpecin Opens Official Retail Channel in China Helping to Cool Down Massive Product Demand from Chinese Cross-Border Shoppers in Germany", PR Newswire, January 17, 2017, © PR Newswire

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Revlon's New CEO To Set Out Plans For Turnaround January 12, 2017: 12:00 AM EST Former Colgate-Palmolive executive Fabian Garcia, the new Revlon CEO, will soon lay out his approach to reigniting the company, with management restructuring, bringing outsourced processes back in-house, and returning to China. Investors were not happy when he was unveiled last year. They had hoped Revlon would be sold after years of failure by successive CEOs to turn the company around. Last fall, Revlon acquired Elizabeth Arden for US$420 million, adding fragrances and skincare products to the Revlon portfolio dominated by color cosmetics, and expanding its geographic reach. With combined annual sales of around $US3 billion, its debt burden is heavy, having borrowed $US2.6bn for the acquisition and to refinance the combined company’s existing debt. Some 350 jobs are expected to go by 2020, but sales have been rising and were up 3.1 percent on a pro forma basis for the first nine months of last year. However, Revlon has still been losing market share. Sharon Terlep, "New chief ­Fabian Garcia vows to revitalise Revlon", The Australian, January 12, 2017, © The Australian

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Alibaba Plans To Acquire Department Store Chain Intime Retail Group January 11, 2017: 12:00 AM EST Chinese online retailer Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is leading a group of investors seeking to acquire department store chain Intime Retail Group Co. for as much as $2.6 billion. Through the proposed partnership with traditional retailers, Alibaba founder Jack Ma seeks to create a new business model for the online and offline retail markets. Alibaba believes that its “superior computing power,” experience selling billions of dollars of goods online, as well as its strong relationships with government and leading brands will enable it to succeed. "Jack Ma Bets $2.6 Billion He Can Revamp China Retail Sector", Bloomberg Technology, January 11, 2017, © BLOOMBERG L.P.

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TCM Gets A Bigger Role In Beauty January 10, 2017: 12:00 AM EST The Beauty industry is increasingly borrowing from Traditional Chinese Medicine. Amway is just one company expanding its use of TCM ingredients. Jia Chen, vice president of the Amway Botanical Research Center, says that TCM is a “life philosophy”, covering diet, nature and spirit. Amway is already using TCM ingredients in its Nutrilite products, but the Center is looking to expand the scope. In China, consumers are looking for more from their Beauty products, such as a link to their cultural heritage and the benefits of TCM, and TCM Beauty is becoming very popular among younger consumers in Asia.   Deanna Utroske, "Trend Watch: Cosmetic and Personal Care Ingredients Borrowed from Traditional Chinese Medicine", CosmeticsDesign.com | USA, January 10, 2017, © William Reed Business Media SAS

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Chinese Consumers Are Adapting Priorities As China Changes January 10, 2017: 12:00 AM EST In an interview, Delon Wang, Manager of Asia Pacific Trends at Mintel, warned that the rapid growth seen in China’s consumer goods industry might slow as economic growth decelerates and the population adapts priorities to the new China, focusing for example on buzzwords like ‘ancient’ and ‘old’. Mintel’s Global New Products Database indicates that product claims including the word "ancient” on packaging grew 56% in the first half of 2016 within China’s beauty and personal care and food and drink and categories. Wang said that consumers are demanding authenticity, and they are increasingly concerned about health and the environment. Value remains another key attribute for consumers. More consumers are also looking at opportunities to be entrepreneurs themselves in a bid to improve financial security during turbulent economic times, and many are choosing subscription purchasing for their fitness and beauty items. Brand loyalty is highest among the middle-class consumers (68% versus 50% for consumers overall). Other factors at work within China include technological advance – such as the Internet of Everything and smart devices – and retail innovation and evolution, such as pop-up stores. Natasha Spencer, "China’s cosmetics and consumer trends in 2017 part I: A change of pace", Cosmetics Design, January 10, 2017, © William Reed Business Media SAS

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P&G's Oral-B Brand Sees Potential In China's Electric Toothbrush Market December 19, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Procter & Gamble’s Oral-B oral care brand is optimistic about the potential for electric toothbrushes in China, supported by increased awareness of oral hygiene and rising incomes. The brand recently launched an intelligent electric toothbrush, the iBrush, and Oral-B's electric toothbrush products have grown between two and three times each year for the last three years. Most sales are online. However, market penetration remains low, with just two percent of Chinese residents using electric toothbrushes. Chinese toothpaste brand Saky believes the Chinese oral care market as a whole will reach 500 billion yuan within 15 years. Zhu Wenqian, "Oral-B focuses sales on China's rising middle class", China Daily, December 19, 2016, © China Daily Information Co (CDIC)

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Antibiotic-Tainted Seafood From China Is A Major World Health Problem December 15, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Ninety percent of the antibiotics administered to pigs in China passes undegraded in urine and feces into ponds used to raise fish that are exported globally. Despite ten years of FDA testing and seizure of seafood tainted with antibiotics, it keeps arriving at U.S. ports, restaurants and grocery stores. It’s simply too difficult to police the dishonest seafood companies and distribution networks that move the dirty seafood around the world. Microbes increasingly resistant to antibiotics lead to the creation of “superbugs” for which there is no treatment. In fact, a year ago scientists discovered a colistin-resistant gene in China that can transform a dozen or more types of bacteria into superbugs. The gene has since been found in patients, food, and environmental samples in more than 20 countries, including the U.S.  Jason Gale et al., "How Antibiotic-Tainted Seafood from China Ends Up on Your Table", Bloomberg Businessweek, December 15, 2016, © Bloomberg L.P.

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Shiseido To Launch Elixir Skincare Range In China December 14, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Japanese brand Shiseido is launching the Elixir line of skincare products in China in January 2017 through 10 dedicated outlets, with the first in Shanghai. The stores will incorporate Japanese imagery, and will be augmented with e-commerce. Prices will be some 30% higher than in Japan, and production will shift from Vietnam to Osaka to allow Shiseido to claim the products are "made in Japan." The Elixir line has proved popular with Chinese tourists to Japan. 53 percent of the company’s sales are from overseas and the company is also reinforcing its position in the US and Europe.   "With skin care sales, Shiseido seeks fresh Chinese image", Nikkei, December 14, 2016, © Nikkei Inc.

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SC Johnson Wins Best Companies To Work For Honors In China December 9, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Household care company SC Johnson said it has been selected as one of the 29 Best Companies to Work for in Greater China by the Great Place to Work Institute. Marking the first time for the company to win a Best Workplace award in China, the recognition had previously been received by some of SC Johnson's units, including SC Johnson Italy, Germany, and Poland. "SC Johnson China Named a 2016 Best Workplace", SC Johnson, December 09, 2016, © S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.

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P&G Wins FMCG Market Penetration Contest In China In 2016 December 2, 2016: 12:00 AM EST A survey by Kantar China finds that Procter & Gamble and two big Chinese dairy firms had the greatest penetration of the Chinese fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) market in 2016. Eighty-eight percent of urban families bought at least one item from Inner Mongolia Yili and China Mengniu Dairy, a total of 146 million Chinese families living in cities. P&G’s market penetration reached 93.4 percent with its lineup of dozens of FMCG brands like Crest, Head & Shoulders and Oral B. Fourth on the list was Swiss-based food manufacturer Nestlė, followed by Tinyi Holding’s Master Kong, an instant noodle brand. Celine Ge, "P&G, Yili and Mengniu Top Brands in Reaching Chinese Consumers, Survey Finds", South China Morning Post, December 02, 2016, © South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd.

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Korean Beauty Brands Riding The Wave Of K-Pop Interest in China December 1, 2016: 12:00 AM EST A survey from FT Confidential Research on the Chinese cosmetics market found that South Korean brands were catching US and European labels, especially among young consumers, reflecting their interest in K-pop culture. L’Oréal is still the most popular brand, but the popularity of US and European brands generally is waning as Korean brands strengthen their hold. Popular Korean brands include Laneige and Amorepacific, and western brand companies are not ignoring this trend. LVMH has invested in Korean cosmetics company Clio, and last year Estée Lauder acquired a stake in Have & Be, which owns the DR Jart+ and Do The Right Things brands. Chinese cosmetics purchasers are particularly interested in BB and CC skin creams, but the cosmetics market generally is seeing strong growth in China, helped by the Government scrapping the 30 percent consumption tax on mass cosmetics products and halving it for premium items. E-commerce was the favored channel for younger shoppers, but the over-35s still prefer to buy in malls and supermarkets. "South Korean cosmetics a hit among young Chinese as K-pop booms", Nikkei, December 01, 2016, © Nikkei Inc.

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Ingredion To Distribute Sweetener Company’s Products Globally December 1, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Stevia-based sweetener maker SweeGen has named multi-industry ingredients provider Ingredion as its exclusive global distributor except in China, where distribution rights will be non-exclusive. Ingredion will begin distribution of California-based SweeGen’s products in February 2017 in the U.S., and will expand gradually internationally as regulatory approvals are secured. SweeGen's zero-calorie sweeteners are made by a proprietary process using pure stevia leaf extract. Illinois-based Ingredion says the sweeteners have a clean, sugar-like taste suitable for use in a variety of foods and beverages. "Ingredion and Sweegen, Inc. Announce Agreement for Ingredion to Distribute Sweegen's Stevia Sweeteners", News release, Ingredion, December 01, 2016, © Sweegen

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Premiumization Driving Sales In Many Categories Worldwide December 1, 2016: 12:00 AM EST A Nielsen report highlights the strength of the premiumization trend that is driving sales around the world and looks set to continue as powerful underlining shifts play out. Rising income and a desire for exceptional quality (cited by 54% as a factor in premium purchases) and superior performance (46%), are core drivers. Interestingly, Nielsen finds that products with social or environmental benefits have premium potential. Some 42% of global respondents say they’d be very willing to pay a premium for products made with organic or all-natural ingredients, while nearly the same proportion (39%) say they’d pay extra for sustainable or environmentally friendly products.   Premium is well established in many markets – it already accounts for about 25% of dollar sales in both the personal-care category in the U.S. and Southeast Asia and is growing faster than other segments.  In Southeast Asia, for example, the premium segment grew 21% from 2012 to 2014, over double the rate of the mainstream and value tiers (8% and 10%, respectively). Strong and growing levels of consumer acceptance indicate the segment will continue to expand. Nielsen states that over 25% of global respondents say they’ll consider buying premium personal-care product:  hair-care (27%), body-care (26%) and oral-care (26%). More: we previously looked at prestige strategies in India. [Image credit © KMM Productions] "Global Premiumization Report: Moving Up", Nielsen , December 01, 2016, © The Nielsen Company

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Imported FMCG Market Is Booming In China November 30, 2016: 12:00 AM EST China’s domestic Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) market has slowed from five years ago. Third quarter growth was a mere 3.6 percent higher than last year, while in 2011 third quarter growth was 15 percent, according to Kantar Worldpanel. Imported FMCG is a different story, however. Sales/consumption of imported goods in China grew 18 percent during the 12 months before June 2016, six times faster than market average. Growth was driven by imported milk, coffee (+32 percent), instant noodles (+29 percent), and snacks (+26 percent). In non-food categories, hair care, personal wash and cosmetics experienced strong sales growth. Jason Yu , "Imported goods outgrows market by 6 times", Report, Kantar Worldpanel, November 30, 2016, © Kantar Worldpanel

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China Continues To Embrace Online Shopping November 24, 2016: 12:00 AM EST In the second volume of a report on shoppers in China, Kantar Worldpanel and Bain & Company highlight continued rapid growth in online sales and expansion in the number of categories bought online. Online sales of FMCG products grew 36.5 percent last year, with volume up 69 percent. A decline in the average selling price came from the broadening of product options beyond the expensive original categories, baby care and beauty. It also found that physical stores are trying to complement online shopping, with the growing popularity of convenience stores driven by urbanization, for small baskets and top-up shopping. The authors believe that online and offline channels need to adapt to the changing reality to stay competitive. The growth in online shopping was demonstrated by the 11/11 Singles’ Day promotions. This year, Alibaba drew sales of $17.8 billion in the day, and the report suggested reasons for this sales splurge: existing shoppers choosing to spend more on the day; shoppers deferring purchases in the lead up to the day; and new shoppers attracted by the promotions. "Dealing with Two-speed China", Kantar Worldpanel, November 24, 2016, © Kantar Worldpanel

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L'Oreal Set To Reap Rewards Of China's Beauty Sales Growth November 22, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Market analysts Trefis highlighted a Morgan Stanley report on China’s beauty products market, which the authors believe will become the world’s largest. It was L’Oréal’s second largest market in 2015, behind the US, and the company’s leadership in digital gives it an advantage in a market where e-commerce sales of beauty items rose from 3% of the total beauty market in 2010 to 19% in 2015. Online sales account for over 20% of the company’s Consumer Products division’s total sales in China. Morgan Stanley notes the growing demand for premium cosmetics by Chinese consumers online or through travel retail channels, and L’Oréal’s luxury products division is well placed to capture this sales growth. Trefis said that skin care is L’Oréal’s most valuable segment and it expects the company to expand its share in global skin care, with China playing a major part in that. "Here’s How L’Oreal Can Benefit From The Booming Beauty Market In China", Trefis , November 22, 2016, © Insight Guru Inc.

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Unilever China Wins Sustainability Award From British Chamber Of Commerce Shanghai November 10, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Unilever China won the Sustainable Business Award of British Business Awards 2016. Created by the British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai in 2008, the Awards highlight and promote “excellence in innovation, enterprise, and endeavor in the British and Chinese business communities.” Among the criteria of the award are the presence of “identified vision and set of values” and integration of sustainability in business strategy and practices in the country. "Unilever Wins Sustainable Business Award of British Business Awards 2016", PR Newswire, November 10, 2016, © PR Newswire

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Sam's Club China Offers More Expensive Products; Aims For Country's High-Spending Consumers November 4, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Walmart has revised the merchandising strategies at its Sam's Clubs members-only warehouse chain in China. During the past two years, the retailer has added more expensive products, such as Zojirushi rice cookers, which cost $3,200 each, and diamond rings that cost $295,000, to the product collections of the 14 Sam's Club stores in the country. Walmart believes China offers big growth potential, with the company's Sam's Club in Shenzhen being the best-performing among the retailer's locations worldwide. Also, as part of efforts to attract more high-spending customers, Walmart increased the club's annual membership fee in April 2016 to 260 yuan, or $40, almost double the previous fee. "China’s High-End Retail Emporium", Bloomberg Businessweek, November 04, 2016, © BLOOMBERG L.P.

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Majority Of Millennial Consumers In Asia-Pacific Still Living With Parents, Survey Reveals October 30, 2016: 12:00 AM EST In Asia-Pacific, 63 percent of millennials 22‒29 years old are living with their parents, according to a CBRE survey. In China, more than 60 percent of millennials are staying with their parents, the third highest in the region after Hong Kong and India, which both had around 80 percent. Data from the report revealed cultural norms and high property prices are keeping Chinese millennials from buying their own place, with 28 percent of respondents claiming it would take them 2‒5 years to afford to move out. Almost 90 percent of Chinese millennials dream of buying property, compared with the Asia-Pacific average of 55 percent. Millennial consumers in China spend 14 percent of their incomes on non-food purchases, the highest rate in the region. Liz Flora, "Study: Chinese Millennials Spend Big on Shopping Because They Live with Their Parents", Jing Daily, October 30, 2016, © Jingdaily

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Walmart Invests $50M In China’s Big Online Grocery Retailer October 21, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Just one day after Walmart and China’s JD.com revealed they would collaborate on three new online services, the U.S. retailer announced a $50 million investment in New Dada, the country's largest local on-demand logistics and grocery O2O e-commerce platform. The investment enables grocery delivery from certain Walmart stores. The earlier announcement focused on Sam’s Club and Global Imports stores on JD.com, and two-hour grocery delivery through New Dada, an independent joint venture of JD.com and Dada. New Dada has more than 25 million registered customers and provides local on-demand delivery in 300 cities in China. Walmart has 426 stores in 170 cities. "Walmart Announces Strategic Investment in China’s largest on-demand logistics and O2O Grocery platform New Dada", News release, Walmart, October 21, 2016, © Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

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China Lowers Taxes On Imported Beauty Products October 11, 2016: 12:00 AM EST China cut the country's consumption tax on imported beauty products. Effective at the start of October 2016, the total effective tax rate, which includes the import tariff, VAT, and consumption tax, will be lowered from the current 84 percent to 29 percent for most cosmetics and 51 percent for luxury beauty brands. Aimed at encouraging Chinese consumers to spend more on local stores instead of leaving the country to shop, the new rules, however, include unchanged tax rates for skincare products and higher rates for premium skincare brands from zero tax to 15 percent. Julia Hollingsworth, "Cuts in make-up tax beautiful in the eyes of US and European brands", South China Morning Post, October 11, 2016, © South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd.

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Wipro Buys Chinese Personal Care Brands September 22, 2016: 12:00 AM EST India-based Wipro said it has agreed to acquire Chinese personal care company Zhongshan Ma Er Daily Products' lines of shower and bath products. Upon completion of the deal, Wipro will become the third biggest company in the segment in southern China, the company said. Without disclosing the financial details of the deal, Wipro said it expects the Chinese brands to help grow its annual revenue in China to almost 1 billion yuan, or $150 million. Celine Ge, "India’s Wipro to Buy Zhongshan Ma Er’s Personal Care Brands", South China Morning Post, September 22, 2016, © South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd.

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Carrefour Expands Small-Convenience-Stores Business In China; Moves Away From Hypermarkets August 5, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Carrefour SA is shifting its focus from its hypermarket business to a business model emphasizing a smaller convenience store format in China. In 2016, the French retailer plans to open 40 to 50 convenience stores in Shanghai. According to the company, fresh products are driving sales growth in the country. With 14 currently operating Carrefour Easy stores in Shanghai, the company plans to launch online operations in Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan province. Wang Zhuoqiong, "Carrefour shifts focus away from hypermarts", China Daily, August 05, 2016, © China Daily Information Co

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Wal-Mart Works More Closely With China's WeChat Mobile Social Network July 28, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is expanding its partnership with mobile social network WeChat in China as part of its efforts to attract more consumers into its stores. In July 2016, Wal-Mart started allowing shoppers to check out in more than 100 stores across the country using WeChat Pay mobile payment. Also, the retailer runs a loyalty program aimed at the followers of its WeChat account. Using its WeChat account, Wal-Mart launched a digital gift card feature, enabling local consumers to send virtual gift cards. Frank Tong , "Wal-Mart offers new mobile cross-channel features for Chinese shoppers", Internet Retailer, July 28, 2016, © Vertical Web Media

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Economic Slowdown Fails To Dampen Demand For Beauty Products In China July 27, 2016: 12:00 AM EST In China, 65 percent of consumers say they increased their spending on facial skincare products in 2015 than they did in 2014, according to Mintel. Data from the market research firm's report “Beauty Retailing China 2016” revealed 52 percent of consumers say they are buying more beauty supplements, while 46 percent said they buy more color cosmetics. During the years 2014 and 2015, total retail sales of cosmetics in the country grew 12.3 percent to RMB 204.9 billion. Mintel predicts the market will maintain its strong growth to reach RMB 338 billion by 2020, driven by the high demand for skincare products. Lucy Whitehouse , "Spending on beauty up in China, despite cooling economy", Cosmetics Design , July 27, 2016, © William Reed Business Media SAS

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China's Beauty Retail Market Forecast To Grow To $50 Billion By 2020, Mintel Says July 22, 2016: 12:00 AM EST China's beauty retail market is forecast to grow to 338 billion yuan, or $50 billion, in value by 2020, according to Mintel. Data from the market research firm revealed demand for skincare products is driving growth in the market. Mintel said 65 percent of consumers spent more on facial skincare in 2015 than in 2014. Growth continued despite the slowdown in consumer purchases during the three-month period ending October 2015, Mintel said. "Chinese beauty retail market predicted to reach $50bn", Inside Retail Asia, July 22, 2016, © Inside Retail Asia

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Fine Lines Top Beauty Concern For Young Mothers In China, Kantar Worldpanel Says July 20, 2016: 12:00 AM EST In China, 47.4 percent of young mothers between the ages 26 and 36 said “fine lines” was their top beauty-related concern, according to Kantar Worldpanel China. Data from the market research firm revealed only 28.5 percent of married women in the same age group but without children made the same choice. Concerning “wrinkles,” 31.4 percent of young mothers said this was a concern, while only 8.8 of their childless counterparts said so. Also, 15.5 percent of young mothers said they were worried about “chapped or cracked lips,” compared with only 10.8 percent of the non-mothers. “Dark circle under the eyes” and “puffy eyes” were also bigger concerns for young mothers than for those without children. Elaine Liu , "Young Chinese mums rely on big brand", Kantar Worldpanel China, July 20, 2016, © Kantar Worldpanel China

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Wal-Mart Grabs Bigger Share Of West China's Retail Market July 11, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Wal-Mart saw its share of the retail market in China's West region grow from 5.7 percent in 2015 to 6.4 percent in the 52-week period ending May 20, 2016, according to Kantar Worldpanel. Data from the market research firm revealed consumer spending on FMCG rose 2.4 percent during the period, significantly lower than the 5.1 percent recorded in the country during the previous year. Local retailer Yonghui's share of the market rose from the previous year's 3.6 percent to 4.9 percent, overtaking Vanguard to become the second largest retailer in the West region. "Wal-Mart’s share growth accelerates in China", Kantar Worldpanel, July 11, 2016, © Kantar Worldpanel

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Low Shipping Rates Drive Growth For China's Alibaba Group July 6, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Very affordable overnight shipping rates in China have been a biggest factor driving growth for online retailer Alibaba Group Holding. Some of the growth should be credited to the company's Taobao online marketplace and the low prices of goods offered by its 10 million merchants. Alibaba has no direct hand in arranging shipping for Taobao merchants; each seller has to deal with one of the country's largest private courier companies. China's four largest shipping service providers are Shunfeng, or SF Express, and YTO Express, STO Express, and ZTO Express. On Taobao, a 3kg box of Tide washing detergent costs $3.13, or 20.90 yuan, including shipping. In contrast, the same product would cost at least $53 in the US, with at least $35 going to shipping. Peter Fuhrman, "Cheap shipping hidden key in Alibaba's success", Nikkei , July 06, 2016, © Nikkei Inc.

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L'Oreal Launches Ultra Doux Shampoo Brand In China July 4, 2016: 12:00 AM EST L'Oreal launched the Ultra Doux shampoo brand in China. Aimed at the Chinese consumer, the Ultra Doux brand consists of 43 products within five series. L'Oreal has positioned the brand for the medium-end market and priced the products from CNY20 to CNY80. Ultra Doux products are sold in markets, including France, UK, and Russia, and is owned by Garnier, which was acquired by L'Oreal in 1985. "L'Oreal Launches New Shampoo Brand In China", ChinaRetailNews.com, July 04, 2016, © ChinaRetailNews.com

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Wal-Mart Sells China E-Commerce Site To JD.com June 20, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said it has agreed to sell its Yihaodian website in China to JD.com Inc., the country’s second-largest online retailer. As part of the deal, which marks a strategic shift in the US-based retailer’s approach to e-commerce business in China, Wal-Mart will receive a 5-percent stake in JD.com. After opening its first store in China in 1996, Wal-Mart has found it hard to expand in the country where it operates about 430 locations. In 2012, Wal-Mart first invested in Yihaodian and gained full control of the website in 2015. Rick Carew, Alyssa Abkowitz and Sarah Nassauer, "Wal-Mart to Sell Chinese E-Commerce Business to JD.com", Wall Street Journal, June 20, 2016, © Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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Wal-Mart Stores Announces Several Changes To Senior Management Team Of International Business June 13, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced several changes to its senior-level management team for its international business. Andy Clarke plans to step down as president and chief executive officer of Asda, Wal-Mart’s UK operations, effective end of July 2016. Wal-Mart said Sean Clarke will return to the UK and succeed Clarke as president and CEO of Asda effective July 11, 2016. Also, Wal-Mart confirmed Roger Burnley will be appointed as deputy CEO and chief operating officer of Asda in October 2016. Wal-Mart also said Walmart Canada president and CEO Dirk Van De Berghe will be Walmart China’s new leader effective August 22, 2016, while Walmart Asia president and CEO Scott Price will focus on his role as chief administrative officer of Walmart International. "Walmart Announces Senior Management Changes in International Business", Walmart, June 13, 2016, © Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

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Pro-Democracy Singer's Cancelled Concert Forces Retirement Of L'Oreal Hong Kong Head June 13, 2016: 12:00 AM EST L'Oreal Hong Kong president and director general Stephen Mosely will retire at the end of June 2016. Mosely's departure is likely linked to the controversy caused by cosmetics brand Lancome's decision to cancel a planned concert featuring pro-democracy singer Denise Ho Wan-see. Chinese state-backed newspaper Global Times linked the singer with Hong Kong and Tibetan independence movements. L'Oreal Luxe Travel Retail Asia managing director Eva Yu will replace Mosely. Kris Cheng, "L’Oréal Hong Kong chief may retire soon amid Denise Ho concert row", Hong Kong Free Press, June 13, 2016, © Hong Kong Free Press Limited

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China Allows Wal-Mart To Acquire Online Retailer Yihaodian Without Restrictions June 8, 2016: 12:00 AM EST China's Ministry of Commerce has removed restrictions on Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s acquisition of online supermarket Yihaodian. In August 2012, Wal-Mart received conditional approval for its deal to increase its investment in the online retailer, becoming its controlling shareholder with a 51-percent stake. In July 2015, Wal-Mart acquired the remaining 49 percent of Yihaodian. Donny Kwok, "China commerce ministry removes curbs on Wal-Mart's Yihaodian deal", Reuters, June 08, 2016, © Reuters

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Wal-Mart Seeks Bigger Share Of China's Online Retail Market May 31, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Wal-Mart is seeking to expand its e-commerce operations in China, as part of the company’s efforts to increase its share of the local online retail market. Yihaodian, which Wal-Mart acquired in July 2015, operates 250 e-commerce hubs in 200 cities across China. Online sales in the country reached $307 billion in 2013, hit $589.2 billion in 2015, and is forecast to grow beyond $1 trillion by 2019. In contrast, online spending in the US was $334 billion in 2015 and is forecast to reach $480 billion by 2019, according to Forrester. In China, 46 percent of shoppers are already buying groceries online for home delivery, compared with the global rate of 25 percent, according to Nielsen. Wal-Mart accounts for 1.6 percent of the local online market, which places it at number 6, behind Alibaba, which has 46.9 percent of the market and JD.com with 20.1 percent. According to analysts, Wal-Mart, which aims to be among the top 3 online retailers in the market, will find it hard to grab market share from the local online retail giants. Anne D'Innocenzio and Paul Wiseman, "Wal-Mart Steps up Online Efforts in China as a Key to Future", ABC News, May 31, 2016, © ABC News Internet Ventures

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Wal-Mart China Posts Strong Sales Growth In 1Q 2016 May 31, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Wal-Mart said total sales in China rose 5.1 percent in the first quarter of 2016, compared with the same quarter in the previous year. Driven significantly by the strong performance of Chinese stores during the Chinese New Year, Wal-Mart China also said comparable sales grew 1.4 percent and comparable per-customer transaction jumped 5.2 percent. Data from market research firm Nielsen revealed Wal-Mart China's fast moving consumer goods share in hypermarkets grew for 13 consecutive quarters. "Wal-Mart China Sales Up 5.1% In Q1 2016", ChinaRetailNews.com, May 31, 2016, © ChinaRetailNews.com

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Sam's Club Gives Wal-Mart Something To Smile About In China May 31, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Sam's Club, Wal-Mart's membership-only retail warehouse club business, is doing well in China. Wal-Mart owns and operates 800 Sam's Club stores worldwide, and four of the top 10 locations are in China. Sam's Club in Shenzhen has been the company's number 1 location since 2008. Wal-Mart plans to add seven or more Sam's Club stores to the existing 13 in China by 2017. Its focus on attracting affluent consumers has helped the warehouse club business grow its sales and revenue in the country. Also, the company has seen growing sales after adopting Western-style packaging of seafoods and other fresh food products. Anne D'Innocenzio , "Wal-Mart's Sam's Club: A Bright Spot in China", ABC News, May 31, 2016, © ABC News Internet Ventures

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Carrefour Opens Warehouse Center In Guangdong Province, Its Fifth In China May 31, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Carrefour SA opened a distribution center in Dongguan, in China's Guangdong province. Part of the French retailer's expansion in the country, the Dongguan facility is Carrefour's fifth warehouse center in China. With its first phase having an area of 21,000 square meters, the facility will support the 30 stores in Guangdong, Hainan, and Fujian provinces, the company said. Qiu Quanlin, "Carrefour launches distribution center in S China's Guangdong", China Daily, May 31, 2016, © China Daily Information Co

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Korean Cosmetics Brands Outperform Western Rivals In China Market May 29, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Exports of Korean cosmetics to China jumped 250 percent in 2015, accounting for almost 25 percent of all of the country's imported cosmetics. Driven by Chinese consumers' obsession with K-pop and love for traveling to South Korea, growing demand for Korean cosmetics has caused a drop in Western brands' market shares, by 4.8 percent for skincare and 3.8 percent for color cosmetics, of foreign beauty products. Data from L2 revealed Korean brands also have an advantage over their Western counterparts, with Innissfree the most-searched beauty brand on Baidu. "Why Korean Brands Are Gaining A Growing Edge Over European Competition In China", Jing Daily, May 29, 2016, © JINGDAILY

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Wearable Food Waste May Help Solve A Global Problem May 26, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Researchers in Hong Kong are working on a way to turn discarded food into clothing. The core of the technology is the use of a lactic acid fermentation to transform starchy food waste with high sugar content into spun fibers. The researchers say the fiber is not yet strong enough to make textiles out of it, but further study should solve that problem. Meanwhile, scientists around the globe are creating their own food-waste-to-clothing solutions: orange peels into textile fibers; “leather” from pineapple leaves; fabrics from fermented milk and wine; and even food waste buttons. "Use the power of innovation to reduce food waste", South China Morning Post, May 26, 2016, © South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd.

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Unilever China Partners With Local Business Incubator May 24, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Unilever China through its Foundry initiative partnered with the Zhangjiang High-Tech Park to help speed up the growth of local startups with innovative technology. Unilever China Foundry expects to launch six business incubator projects in the country in 2016. Unilever was the only FMCG company selected to join the partnership due to its capabilities in consumer insights and marketing. Ding Yining , "Startups boosted by Unilever-local strategic incubator platform tie-up", Shanghai Daily, May 24, 2016, © Shanghai Daily

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Affluent Middle-Class Consumers In China Think Loyalty Programs Make Them Spend More May 18, 2016: 12:00 AM EST In China, 72 percent of affluent middle-class consumers view themselves as engaged members of loyalty programs, according to a report by Collinson Group. Results of the study conducted in January 2016 by SSI Research revealed 89 percent of mainland Chinese and 87 percent of Hong Kong residents said a loyalty program makes them want to spend more. Only 45 percent of Hong Kong respondents, however, said they feel engaged in loyalty programs. Worldwide membership to loyalty programs dropped 20 percent from 2014 to 2015, data revealed. Jessica Rapp, "Study: 89% of Chinese Consumers Say Loyalty Programs Increase Their Spending", JINGDAILY, May 18, 2016, © JINGDAILY

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Demand Grows For Anti-Pollution Haircare Products In China May 17, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Haircare brands are launching products with claims of anti-pollution features in China. Growing consumer demand for anti-pollution haircare products is a global trend, with data from Mintel GNPD showing an increase of 6 percent in new haircare products that include an anti-pollution claim from 2012 to first quarter of 2016. Schwarzkopf, for example, launched its Purify & Protect range of haircare products aimed at Chinese consumers concerned with air pollution’s impact on their hair. To promote the product range, Schwarzkopf partnered with MOJI, China’s most popular weather forecast app. Laurie Du , "Haircare brands tackle pollution in China", Mintel, May 17, 2016, © Mintel Group Ltd

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Anticounterfeiting Group Kicks Out Alibaba For Perceived Failure To Act Against Fake Products May 13, 2016: 12:00 AM EST Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding's membership in the AntiCounterfeiting Coalition has been revoked by the anti-counterfeiting organization. According to a letter sent by the group to its 250 members, the coalition’s board of directors said it decided to suspend a recently created membership category under which Alibaba was admitted in April 2016. Also, the group cited concern from global brands about the Chinese e-commerce company's commitment to fighting fake products. Kathy Chu, "Alibaba Suspended From Anticounterfeiting Group", The Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2016, © Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

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Carrefour Launches Online Store In Beijing May 11, 2016: 12:00 AM EST French retailer Carrefour launched its O2O online store in Beijing, China. Integrating store delivery and multiple payment methods, the online store will offer dual-language services, and will allow product returns and exchange at all of the retailer’s locations. Carrefour launched its O2O business in Shanghai in June 2015. "Carrefour Unveils O2O E-commerce Services In Beijing", China Retail News, May 11, 2016, © Chinaretailnews.Com

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China Leads Rest Of World In Adoption Of Mobile E-Commerce April 20, 2016: 12:00 AM EST In China, the number of consumers who said they had made online purchases using a mobile device jumped from 18 percent in 2014 to 43 percent in 2015, according to the PwC Total Retail Survey 2016. In contrast, the global average increased from 12 percent to 20 percent during the same period. In general, e-commerce is growing faster in emerging markets than it does in developed countries. China leads the way, with mobile devices becoming the dominant channel for retail purchases, with 20 percent of Chinese respondents saying they made online purchases daily. Emily Backus, "Mobile Dominates Among Chinese Shoppers", Women’s Wear Daily, April 20, 2016, © Fairchild Fashion Media

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