Chinese Consumers Are Changing Their Shopping Behavior, Study Shows

In China, the average number of shoppers' visits to large-format retail stores dropped 20 percent from 7.4 per month in 2008 to 6 visits per month in 2012, according to market research firm Nielsen. Average consumer spending, however, increased from 1,337 RMB in 2008 to 1,610 RMB in 2012. Growth in emerging retail channels, such as convenience stores, personal care stores, and online stores, has been mainly responsible for these changes in shopping behavior.