GBA forum: Hong Kong firms urged to tap mainland demand amid sluggish retail recovery

The Hong Kong Trading Development Council held a seminar on Thursday on new consumption trends in the Greater Bay Area (GBA), guiding Hong Kong enterprises to seize opportunities in the GBA amid the city’s modest retail recovery.

Howie Wong, General Manager of Kampery, a Hong Kong-based retailer and manufacturer, said that mainland China’s consumption momentum is robust, driven by highly convenient e-commerce. Therefore, it is a great opportunity for Hong Kong enterprises to expand their exports now.

The latest data from the Census and Statistics Department shows that although Hong Kong’s total retail sales in November 2025 increased by 6.5% compared with the same period in 2024, reaching HK$33.7 billion, it is still much lower than the level before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wong added that some mid-tier, more value-for-money consumers may choose to spend in mainland stores, causing purchasing power to shift northwards.

Sherriff Luk, professor of marketing at Emlyon Business School, cited research by Agent Ocean showing that mainland consumers are increasingly focused on product quality, safety, and health benefits. Hong Kong businesses need to understand the changes in the consumer base of the Greater Bay Area. If they stick to the old ways, they may not keep up with the trend.

More specifically, Luk said that the pursuit of  “quality of life” is a new consumption trend and mainland consumers are shifting from price-driven to experience- and emotion-driven spending.

On corporate strategy, Billy Cheung, founder and CEO of Sparkdemy, said that in an environment where social media content is highly saturated, brands need to enhance their exposure and content production capabilities. 

“As long as you can be found in Search Engine Optimization searches, you win,” he added. 

Regarding how Hong Kong enterprises can enter and capture the Greater Bay Area market, Cheung said that it is important to know how to create content and ensure visibility. 

For small and medium-sized enterprises with limited resources, Cheung recommended Guangzhou as a good entry point, noting that Hong Kong and Guangzhou form a promising “dual-city” consumption market. 

“In terms of cultural habits and purchasing power, they are quite close, but there is still a certain physical distance between them,” he said.