A shopping mall in Qidong, Nantong. [Photo/WeChat account: qidongfabu]

Qidong's consumer market has continued its steady recovery this year, with January-October retail sales of consumer goods reaching 42.54 billion yuan ($6.02 billion), up 1.5 percent year-on-year.

Holiday spending remained a strong driver. During the combined National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, major supermarkets reported sales of 80 million yuan, a 19.9 percent increase, while medium and large restaurants saw revenue exceed 10 million yuan, up 23.1 percent.

Consumption is also upgrading, with green products leading the trend. So far, 3,794 vehicles have participated in national and provincial trade-in programs, receiving 45.18 million yuan in subsidies and driving 700 million yuan in consumption. In the home appliances and home furnishing sector, subsidies totaling 47.52 million yuan have stimulated more than 250 million yuan in spending. The electric bicycle program has seen 15,326 subsidized purchases, generating 48.06 million yuan in consumption.

The first-store economy has emerged as a new engine for consumption upgrades. This year, Qidong has focused on improving lifestyle services by attracting first-store brands. A total of 23 regional first-store brands have opened in the city, including three Nantong first stores and 20 Qidong first stores, covering dining, fashion, leisure, and entertainment. Data shows that first-store brands achieved average sales 35 percent higher than traditional outlets, boosting foot traffic in commercial areas by 18 percent.