Guizhou set to boost consumer spending in next five years

According to the commerce department of Southwest China's Guizhou province, the region is projected to boost its urban and rural consumer spending – by improving infrastructure, developing the restaurant and catering industry and improving the retail environment, among others – during the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-26) period.

Guizhou is expected to establish at least two commercial pedestrian streets and five large-scale shopping complexes per year.

The region is seen establishing and improving rural commercial systems, as well as promoting the construction of county-level comprehensive business service centers and logistics distribution centers. It will also introduce business towns and business complexes, transform rural business outlets, cultivate new rural business leaders and release the potential of rural spending.

Meanwhile, Guizhou is expected to transform rural farmers' markets through the use of intelligent electronic scales and information publicity screens, among other things. It will establish a farmers' market transaction data platform and collect real-time data – on such things as transaction times, locations, prices and quantities – so as to realize the traceability of the transaction process.

At the same time, Guizhou will promote the roll-out of platforms for the collecting of property information, traffic flows and business sales analyses of business districts and commercial blocks – through the internet of things, wireless network and other technical means.

Guizhou will also establish smart demonstration stores and encourage bricks-and-mortar stores to optimize their services experience by using 5G, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, big data and other information technologies. Furthermore, it will support traditional merchandising locations to transform themselves into places that integrate consumer spending, shopping experience and social networking.

In addition, the province will build green shopping malls, promote the sales of green products, strengthen the treatment of plastic pollution, improve the recycling system for waste materials and promote the recycling of renewable resources.