Shanghai unveiled an extensive calendar of shopping festivals and consumer events for 2025 on Feb 21, aimed at boosting consumption and strengthening its position as a global consumption hub.

The year-round program will kick off with the First in Shanghai global promotion in spring, followed by the Double Five shopping festival, Shanghai Summer international consumption season and various themed events throughout the year, according to Liu Min, deputy director of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.

Shanghai will leverage its substantial market size and rich consumption scenarios to promote service consumption, foreign consumption, new consumption and more, Liu said.

The First in Shanghai global promotion series, scheduled to commence in March, will feature three major consumer goods exhibitions, three events dedicated to product premieres, and numerous brand activities.

Headlining the exhibitions are the Appliances & Electronics World Expo, Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition and the China Beauty Expo. Over 1,000 domestic and international brands will participate in AWE 2025, with nearly 100 product launches, according to Song Yiwen, deputy director of the Shanghai Electronic Commerce Promotion Center.

Alongside these exhibitions, three dedicated events will spotlight brand premieres, including the 2025 Shanghai Fashion Week Autumn/Winter, which will feature nearly 100 debut shows, Song added.

The city's Double Five shopping festival will target major retail categories including apparel, cosmetics, jewelry and leather goods, offering promotions and discounts across major commercial districts, said Li Hongtao, deputy head of the commerce division of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.

The festival will also debut five new flagship events, including an animation and gaming carnival, a senior lifestyle festival, an international cruise festival and a household goods trade-in festival, while elevating traditional activities, said Li.

In addition to traditional flagship events like the Shanghai International Electronic Music Festival, this year's Shanghai Summer international consumption season will introduce new events like the LEGO Festival of Play, an international animation and game carnival, and the 2025 World Rowing Championships Shanghai, said Wang Jiayi, deputy head of commerce division of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce.

The season will also offer specialized tourism products, such as multiday tours along the Yangtze River Delta railways, experiences focusing on Chinese cuisine and traditional cultures, Shanghai Pass cards granting access to multiple attractions, and free half-day tours for international transfer passengers.

"With China's international flights recovering and visa-free arrangements expanding, we're optimizing our offering for more global visitors," explained Wang.

"These initiatives represent a comprehensive approach to stimulating consumption through policy support, supply-side innovation and consumer incentives," Liu emphasized. "We aim to create a high-level consumption pattern that combines demand-pull with supply-created demand."