by Fang Zhuoran

Shanghai recorded nearly 20 billion yuan in online and offline spending during the first two days of the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival holiday, a 4.1% increase from the same period in 2024, according to data from the Big Data Laboratory of Consumer Market.

Nineteen major commercial hubs reported combined sales of 13.6 billion yuan. Consumption voucher programs boosted activity, with Huangpu's Xintiandi area seeing a 22% yoy increase. Yangpu's Wujiaochang area and Pudong’s International Tourism and Resorts Zone also posted 22% and 18.1% growth, respectively.

Other key districts, including Changning, Jing’an, and Minhang, also reported gains, although growth in some areas, such as Lujiazui, was more modest at 0.9%.

Tax-free shopping surged, with both duty-free sales and refund amounts more than doubling yoy. Appliance and electronics trade-in schemes generated 1.1 billion yuan in vouchers, driving related sales up 18.2% compared with the two days prior to the holiday.