From January to May 2023, retail sales value of household appliances and audio-visual equipment above the designated size in China stood at 313.3 billion Yuan, almost the same level of same period last year, according to Shu Yuting, a spokeswoman for China's Ministry of Commerce said on June 15, 2023. It is learned that the Ministry of Commerce has issued the “Notice on Promoting Green and Smart Home Appliance Consumption in 2023”, which plans to accelerate the recovery and expansion of home appliance consumption through three aspects.
(1) Continue to organize home appliance consumption promotion activities. According to incomplete statistics, a total of more than 2.5 billion RMB has been planned to be put into stimulating home appliance consumption from all over the country this year, and the number of big promotion activities for home appliance consumption totals more than 300. It is learned that the Ministry of Commerce will strengthen coordination and guidance together with relevant departments to encourage localities with the necessary conditions to organize diversified consumption promotion activities to provide better home appliance consumption experience while meet diversified consumer needs.
(2) Promote the replacement of old household appliances with new ones and bolster the consumption of green and smart home appliances in rural areas. The replacement demands for home appliances have been going up. Statistics from major e-commerce platforms show that, from January to May 2023, sales value from the replacement of old household appliances with new ones and green and smart home appliances in rural areas rose by 83.7% and 12.6% respectively compared to the same period last year. The Ministry of Commerce will encourage local governments to develop and improve work plans based on local consumer market characteristics and local conditions and well implement them to promote the replacement of old household appliances with new ones and bolster the consumption of green and smart home appliances in rural areas.
(3) Continue to improve the home appliance consumption environment. After-sales services is a key component of consumption environment, also a key concern for consumers. The Ministry of Commerce will join hands with related departments to accelerate the implementation of actions to enhance after-sales service for home appliances. They will provide guidance to local authorities to identify and cultivate leading enterprises in the field of home appliance after-sales service, promote overall improvements in the quality of after-sales service, and focus on addressing issues such as non-standard after-sales service. The goal is to ensure that consumers have a more reassuring and satisfactory experience when purchasing home appliances.