Interest‑driven consumption is entering a new phase. Interests are no longer simply about how people spend their free time. They are increasingly becoming a gateway that connects emotional value, lifestyle choices and industry transformation. The opportunity within the interest economy has shifted from identifying what's trending to understanding how different groups engage with interests and where long‑term investment takes place. For young and prime age adults, interests are easily ignited by social media and community culture, evolving from initial discovery into deeper, sustained engagement. For older consumers, interests serve as a way to reconnect with everyday life and social relationships. Among high‑income consumers, interests are an integral part of a high‑quality lifestyle, with greater emphasis on real‑world experiences, professional progression and long‑term relationships.
Anita Li, Senior Research Analyst – Consumer Trends and Lifestyle, China
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Key issues in this Report
- What you need to know
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THE MARKET
- Rapid expansion of the emotional economy, with interest‑driven consumption emerging as a core component
- The emotional economy and interest‑driven consumption are emerging as new levers for boosting local consumption
- Interests are becoming a new route to higher-value industry growth
- A new wave of participants: older consumers embrace interests as part of a ‘second life’
- A new stage of interest-driven consumption: understanding how different groups participate
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THE CONSUMER AND OPPORTUNITIES
- Young and prime age adults: interests as both a gateway to exploration and an extension of self‑identity
- Younger adults remain the main drivers of active and diverse interest participation
- Graph 1: hobbies and interests, by age, 2026
- Younger consumers’ interests are increasingly specialised, with even niche passions finding their own communities
- Xiaohongshu brings ‘useless interests’ offline, broadening what counts as a hobby
- Younger consumers’ emerging interests reflect a renewed search for agency in everyday life
- Younger people’s interests are sparked by social media buzz and move more quickly through trend cycles
- Graph 2: reasons for taking up interests, by age, 2026
- With age, younger adults move from trying out hobbies and interests to deeper engagement
- Graph 3: level of engagement – currently ongoing and planning to increase time or spend, by age, 2026
- Early on, consumers pay for new experiences; later, they invest in professional upgrading
- Graph 4: spending on hobbies and interests – over RMB5,000, by age, 2026
- Graph 5: spending on hobbies and interests – over RMB5,000, by age, 2026
- For younger generations, interests are more flexible and more readily monetised
- Graph 6: level of engagement – currently ongoing and planning to increase time or spend, by age, 2026
- As interests deepen, they evolve from lifestyle enrichment into self‑identity
- Graph 7: the significance of hobbies and interests – describes me, by age, 2026
- Younger and prime age adults want visible symbols of their interests and brands’ long‑term commitment to communities
- Graph 8: brand collaboration preferences (top five), by age, 2026
- Luckin × David Tao: turning product cues, fan language and memes into a co‑created brand celebration
- Nike: long‑term participation in and support for the growth of sports culture
- Older adults: interests as a gateway to reconnecting with the wider world
- How interests restore social connection and everyday participation for older adults
- Graph 9: the significance of hobbies and interests – describes me, by generation, 2026
- Older adults are more willing to pay for in-person interest-based experiences and community activities
- Graph 10: spending on hobbies and interest – over RMB1000 (top four), by generation, 2026
- Graph 11: spending on hobbies and interests – over RMB5,000 (top three), by generation, 2026
- From daily routines to wellbeing, older adults’ interests are rooted in everyday life
- Graph 12: hobbies and interests, by generation, 2026
- Not just participants, older adults are keen to create and share around their interests
- Graph 13: level of engagement – currently ongoing and planning to increase time or spend (top five), by generation, 2026
- Graph 14: level of engagement – currently ongoing and planning to increase time or spend, by generation, 2026
- Creative expression among older adults is rarely a solo act, but a carefully orchestrated collective ritual
- Monetising interests is no longer just for the young; older adults are turning passions into new value
- Brands are more naturally accepted by older adults when they show up in real interest settings
- Graph 15: brand collaboration preferences (top five), by generation, 2026
- Graph 16: brand collaboration preferences (top five), by generation, 2026
- Yourui turns an essential product for older adults into social currency within the square‑dancing community
- HEYTEA turns older adults’ love of singing into the emotional hook for a new product launch
- Using positive portrayals of ageing to resonate emotionally and speak to cross‑generational ideals of the good life
- High‑income consumers: interests as a built‑in part of a high quality lifestyle
- For high‑income consumers, interests are a standard part of everyday leisure, not a marker of distinctive identity
- Graph 17: the significance of hobbies and interests – describes me (top seven), by monthly household income, 2026
- Graph 18: the significance of hobbies and interests – unsure or does not describe me (top three), by monthly household income, 2026
- From sport and aesthetics to the arts, high‑income consumers’ interests focus on upgrading everyday life
- Graph 19: hobbies and interests, by monthly household income, 2026
- High‑income consumers’ sporting interests are evolving from routine exercise towards more holistic physical and mental wellbeing
- Graph 20: sports participation – high-income consumers, by monthly household income, 2024-25
- Interests are not a passing phase, but a long‑term way high‑income consumers actively shape their lives
- Graph 21: reasons for taking up interests (top two), by monthly household income, 2026
- High‑income consumers prioritise building knowledge and skills over rushing to produce outcomes
- Graph 22: level of engagement – currently ongoing and planning to increase time or spend (top two), by monthly household income, 2026
- Graph 23: level of engagement – currently ongoing and planning to increase time or spend (bottom two), by monthly household income, 2026
- High‑income consumers prioritise spending on real‑world experiences and professional upgrades over virtual or fan‑driven consumption
- Graph 24: spending on hobbies and interests – over RMB1,000, by monthly household income, 2026
- Graph 25: spending on hobbies and interests – over RMB5,000, by monthly household income, 2026
- High‑income consumers continue to spend on travel, seeking further‑flung and rarer experiences
- High‑income consumers welcome brands that enhance interest experiences, but are cautious about brands entering specialist domains
- Graph 26: brand collaboration preferences (top five), by monthly household income, 2026
- Aesop: turning reading into a long‑term cultural pact between brand and consumer
- Rapha: from professional gear to membership club, building cycling into a high‑quality lifestyle community
- When actions speak louder than words: real interest scenarios as the most persuasive form of brand expression
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WHAT WE THINK
- Young and prime age adults: from entry to community to deep engagement, the brand opportunity lies in participating in interest culture
- Older adults: interests help them stay connected, the brand opportunity lies in enabling visibility, recognition and connection
- High‑income consumers: interests are integral to a high‑quality life, and brands can deliver credible experience upgrades
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APPENDIX
- Methodology
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