The 2025 Hong Kong Shopping Festival, organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), will be held from Aug 1 to 31, showcasing more than 260 Hong Kong brands across seven key categories and over 500 curated products, all with month-long discounts. The launch ceremony was held on Wednesday.

Fully aligned with the 2024 Policy Address of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the festival aims to support Hong Kong’s small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in tapping into the vast online retail market of the Chinese mainland.

As a flagship event of HKTDC’s E-commerce Express, the festival offers mainland consumers exclusive access to Hong Kong’s best offerings, in categories ranging from health supplements, food and beverages, home and living, personal care and cosmetics, to apparel, smart gadgets, and even products for the silver market.

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lrina Fan, director of research at HKTDC, said at the press conference a 2024 HKTDC study found that nearly 65 percent of surveyed Hong Kong traders consider the mainland to be the most promising e-commerce market in the world. She said that understanding the preferences of mainland consumers is critical if Hong Kong businesses are to maintain their strengths.

E-commerce is thriving thanks to mainland consumers, with Hong Kong products being popular among younger demographics, said Fan. When purchasing Hong Kong goods online, mainland shoppers prioritize brand reputation, placing high importance on product quality and safety standards, she added. This is a trend Hong Kong businesses need to focus on, she said.    

This year's festival brings back two key highlights: a discount month featuring up to 75 percent off from all participating Hong Kong brands, and live-streaming e-commerce activations.

Patrick Lau, deputy executive director of HKTDC, said at the press conference that this year’s festival is honored to have the participation of some leading mainland live-streamers, such as Li Jiaqi, as the festival will feature simultaneous live-streaming across multiple platforms, including Douyin, Taobao, Tmall, JD.

Lau said that some mainland online influencers have personally conducted product selections in Hong Kong, and are underscoring the rigorous quality assurance process that all Hong Kong items featured in the festival must undergo.    

This festival offers Hong Kong businesses a valuable opportunity to study cutting-edge e-commerce models from the mainland while gaining a firsthand understanding of its e-commerce ecosystem — one of HKTDC's key objectives behind creating this initiative, said Lau.

Ryan Tse, president of the Hong Kong Health Food Association, said that Hong Kong brands participating in the festival will be offering their finest products at their most competitive prices.

READ MORE: HK launches HK$1.2b shopping fest to boost spending

Through this festival, Hong Kong companies can help mainland consumers discover authentic Hong Kong brands and experience the genuine quality of Hong Kong’s products, Tse said, adding that cross-border e-commerce platforms provide Hong Kong businesses with exceptional access to the vast mainland market.

Jones Ng, founder of Chiwa Digital Media Capital Group Ltd, said at the press conference that Hong Kong products generally command a price premium over some mainland alternatives. He emphasized the need for targeted marketing of Hong Kong brands to articulate their unique value proposition, enabling mainland consumers to better appreciate the quality-to-price ratio that justifies purchasing decisions.

Actress Samantha Ko Hoi-ling said at the opening ceremony that the festival has arrived at the right moment, just as the mainland’s e-commerce is surging, giving Hong Kong's finest homegrown brands the spotlight they deserve.    

Contact the writer at mikegu@chinadailyhk.com