The 2026 Shanghai Summer International Consumption Season moved into high gear on Aug 8, with an anime-goods carnival in Lujiazui and museum-themed retail spaces on Huaihai Road and East Nanjing Road drawing visitors.

Comprising 11 flagship events under six themes, the consumption campaign began in early July and spans culture, commerce, tourism, sports and exhibitions. The Pudong New Area anime-goods carnival opened on Aug 8 at Super Brand Mall in Lujiazui, occupying the first, third and fourth floors as themed experience zones.

Fan Long, a Pudong resident, attended the carnival to experience the video game Cyberpunk 2077 beyond the screen.

"The game accompanied me through my university years, and I came to the offline event to feel the atmosphere," Fan said.

Kong Lei, chairman of the commercial business line for Charoen Pokphand Group, or CP Group, in China, said the carnival marks the mall's first large-scale event tailored for young people during its ongoing upgrade.

"Frequent events can boost sales of dining and young-fashion products," he said, adding the parking lot filled up quickly after the opening. Visitors from the broader Yangtze River Delta region accounted for 30 to 40 percent of footfall and young consumers exceeded 30 percent, he noted.

Cao Lei, deputy director of the Pudong New Area Commission of Commerce, said the carnival had partnered with the China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference, or ChinaJoy, and attracted more than 10 well-known exhibitors.

"Three exhibitors will sign agreements with Pudong's commercial areas to open merchandise stores and themed restaurants," Cao said.

Pudong has also rolled out nighttime consumption promotions, offering shoppers in the Lujiazui and Qiantan areas discount coupons of up to 30 percent through Alipay between 10 pm and 5 am. A shopping lottery for gold bars, open to receipts above 1,000 yuan ($148.29), is running in parallel.

On Aug 7, the second Shanghai International Game Animation Festival opened its China-chic carnival at the sunken plaza FOUND158 on Julu Road. The crossover market combined time-honored brands, animation industry intellectual property, intangible cultural heritage and digital games.

Shanghai Museum and Shanghai Huaihai Commercial Group launched a 600-square-meter cultural-creative pop-up on Middle Huaihai Road, tied to the museum's exhibition on ancient American civilizations.

Pan Mengwei, general manager of a Shanghai Huaihai Commercial Group company, said the store carries more than 3,000 products, up about 200 percent from the previous pop-up, with average spending per customer doubling to roughly 200 yuan.

The pop-up also recreated rainforest and desert landscapes in a commercial space through a first-time partnership with Chenshan Botanical Garden.

Meanwhile, Bailian Group and Shanghai Museum opened a museum-themed store on East Nanjing Road with nearly 2,000 licensed cultural products, a virtual-reality Maya experience, Americas-themed food souvenirs and stamp-collecting interactions.

"Weekday footfall is 2,000 to 3,000 and weekend footfall is 3,000 to 4,000, with a sales conversion rate of about 10 percent," said Sha Tianbing, deputy general manager of Shanghai Sanlian (Group) Co Ltd.

The two museum-linked retail venues will stay open in step with the exhibition until November 2027.

Source: Shanghai Observer