Chongqing Explores Four Models to Stimulate Consumption in Lower-Tier Markets

From August 26 to 27, the National Conference on Stimulating Consumption in Lower-Tier Markets was held in Beijing. The conference examined current conditions and future priorities for the development of county and township markets and set out key tasks for stimulating consumption in these markets during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026–2030), supporting the development of a strong domestic market and comprehensive rural revitalisation.

Representatives from Zhejiang, Chongqing and other provincial-level regions shared their experiences at the conference. Chongqing presented its approaches and plans for stimulating consumption in lower-tier markets, providing useful examples for improving the quality and expanding the scale of county-level consumption.

Nearly half of Chongqing’s consumption comes from lower-tier markets, making them an important source of growth for expanding domestic demand and supporting economic development. Since the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Chongqing has continued to strengthen its county-level commercial system, helping to increase both rural incomes and consumption. From January to July this year, the city’s total retail sales of consumer goods increased by 2.6% year on year, 0.3 percentage points faster than in the first half of the year and above the national average.

Building on the Opinions of the Ministry of Commerce and Eight Other Departments on Further Stimulating Lower-Tier Markets and Boosting County-Level Consumption, Chongqing has developed four innovative models tailored to local conditions: quality upgrades to lead consumption, industrial development to support consumption, eco-cultural tourism to drive consumption, and cross-border regional commerce to concentrate consumption. Together, these approaches are creating a distinctly Chongqing model for improving the quality and expanding the scale of county-level consumption.