Culture & Leisure

The 2021 Hong Kong Brands and Products Shopping Festival, which was traditionally held during winter, opened on Friday in hopes to tap the buying spree boosted by the government’s HK$5,000 consumption voucher scheme.   For its first time held in summer, the festival will last for three days from August 6 to 8 at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Chek Lap Kok on Lantau Island.    After the opening ceremony of the festival, Edward Yau Tang-wah, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development of Hong Kong, said the electrical consumption voucher was intended to boost the economy.   “Despite securing the enterprise, employment can also be secured by only spending a dollar,” he said. “We hope this goal can be achieved in the short run.”   The festival, used to be held annually in December or January in Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, offers a variety of goods, as well as entertainment like shows, lucky draws and booth games for visitors.   The organiser, the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, expected the festival would have an enthusiastic response as registered citizens started to receive a $2,000 electronic voucher from the beginning of August. The balance of the voucher will be paid later this year.   “Some customers bought boxes of products using the vouchers,” said Ms Lee, who refused to disclose her first name. She is in charge of HOME+, an online shop that offers frozen food, groceries, household appliances and beauty products.   “We expect a 10% to 20% increase in membership after the festival,” she said.   The owner of Tak Shing Sea Products Co., Ltd. Ms Woo, who withheld her first name, said   while half of the customers purchased with electronic vouchers, the sales were limited. “They spend no more than $2000,” she added.   “We didn’t fantasise about …