“Amidst the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic for three consecutive years and the ‘Double Reduction’ policy, there has been a significant shift in the values of young parents in lower tier cities towards family companionship and leisure time. This has led to a change in their parenting mindset, as more and more parents are actively exploring ‘free-range’ parenting, with independence and EQ development as key objectives. Unlike tier 1 and 2 cities, digitised education is more popular with young parents in lower tier cities as it can overcome time and space constraints and provide a wider range of educational resources. Facing the change of parenting style and education methods of parents in low tier cities, brands need to be flexible in balancing their demand for refined and convenient parenting, and make use of diversified IPs in leisure and entertainment to create experiential marketing that combines knowledge, fun and interactivity, so that brands can accompany the parents and children in low tier cities as they grow.”
– Gloria Gan, Senior Analyst
This Report looks at the following areas:
- The need for refinement and convenience in children’s diets.
- Day-to-day and during holidays parent-child interaction.
- Children’s digital products usage and parenting styles.
- Information sources for parenting and changes in parenting priorities.
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Objective and methodology
- Quantitative research methodology
- Figure 1: The sample structure for each city is as follows:
- Qualitative research methodology
- Figure 2: Interviewed cities in the qualitative research
- Figure 3: Profiles of respondents to the qualitative research
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- The Market
- Demands for sustainable development and differentiation emerge
- Figure 4: GDP sector compositions, by city tier, 2019-21
- Salary growth slows, and consumption momentum weakens
- Figure 5: Per capita annual salary, by city tier, 2019-21
- Figure 6: Total retail sales and year-on-year growth rate of consumer goods, by city tier, 2019-21
- Financial confidence continues to fluctuate
- Figure 7: Confidence in improving future finances, by city tier, 2020-23
- The Consumer
- The need for refinement and convenience in children’s diets
- Figure 8: Children’s poor eating habits, by age of youngest child, 2022
- Day-to-day and during holidays parent-child interaction
- Figure 9: Attractive theme park programmes/services/features, by age – selected, 2022
- Children’s digital products usage and parenting styles
- Figure 10: Parenting styles and mindset, by age of youngest child, 2022
- Information sources for parenting and changes in parenting priorities
- Figure 11: Changes of parenting focus, by age – selected, 2020 vs 2023
- What we think
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Introduction to Lower Tier Cities in China
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- Demands for sustainable development and differentiation emerge
- Figure 12: GDP sector compositions, by city tier, 2019-21
- Salary growth slows, and consumption momentum weakens
- Figure 13: Per capita annual salary, by city tier, 2019-21
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- Figure 14: Total retail sales and year-on-year growth rate of consumer goods, by city tier, 2019-21
- The pull effect of the metropolitan economy is expected
- Figure 15: Total domestic highway mileage, by city tier, 2020 and 2021
- The increase in flexible employment and work-on-the-go brings new opportunities for the development of low tier cities
- Figure 16: Type of employment, by city tier, 2020-23
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- Figure 17: Company types, by city tier, 2020-23
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Market Factors
- Financial confidence continues to fluctuate
- Figure 18: Confidence in improving future finances, by city tier, 2020-23
- Upgrading demand has declined and high-end consumption become more cautious
- Figure 19: Trading up and down, tier 3 or lower cities, Q1 2022 vs Q1 2023
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- Figure 20: Trading up and down, tier 3 or lower cities, Q1 2022 vs Q1 2023
- Chain service brands tap into lower tier cities, driving the innovation and quality improvement of consumer experience
- Figure 21: Changes in the number of stores of Helen’s, Miniso and Haidilao in different cities, by city tier, 2021 vs 2022
- Figure 22: Convenience store shopping frequency – once a day or more, by city tier, 2019 vs 2023
- The influence of short videos has expanded, accelerating the conversion of traffic value to user value
- Figure 23: Changes in short video usage – every day, by city tier, H1 2021-H1 2023
- Domestic travel is recovering strongly, and the combination of local cultural tourism resources and commerce has attracted attention
- Figure 24: Mentions and engagement of ‘Zibo’ (淄博) on social media channels, January-June 2023
- New education policy emphasises more on comprehensive sports development
- AI empowered children’s education as well as mother and baby retailing sector
- Figure 25: Application cases of AI in online education and mother and baby retailing sectors
- Financial confidence continues to fluctuate
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Interviews with Industry Experts
- Leverage the value-for-money advantage of small town model through store, equipment and menu adjustment
- Figure 26: Expert interviewees’ take on lower tier city market and consumer perceptions, 2023
- Focus on household consumption habits and the construction of logistics networks
- Figure 27: Expert interviewees’ take on lower tier city market and consumer perceptions, 2023
- Initiate conversations on consumption scenarios integrating regional features
- Figure 28: Expert interviewees’ take on consumption scenarios and marketing methods in lower tier city market, 2023
- Explore ‘DOWN-TO-EARTH’ communication methods and channels
- Figure 29: Expert interviewees’ take on lower tier city market and consumer perceptions, 2023
- Leverage the value-for-money advantage of small town model through store, equipment and menu adjustment
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The Need for Refinement and Convenience in Children’s Diets
- Increased awareness of ‘comprehensive’ and ‘varied’ nutrients supplementation
- Figure 30: Children’s eating habits – interview excerpts, 2023
- Figure 31: Areas of focus when buying food and drink for children – interview excerpts, 2023
- Child-specific food and the ‘refinement’ trend in restaurants
- Figure 32: Child-specific food and restaurants – interview excerpts, 2023
- Figure 33: Photos related to Mintel’s visit to child-friendly restaurant in Shiyan, Hubei, 2023
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- Figure 34: Photos taken by Mintel on a visit to a child restaurant in Shiyan, Hubei, 2023
- Flavour improvements of healthy diets may help tackle poor eating habits among 4-6 year olds
- Figure 35: Children’s poor eating habits, by age of youngest child, 2022
- Strong demand for eating out and specialised foods which are refined and convenient
- Figure 36: Parents’ needs when buying food and drink for children – Yes, by age, 2022
- ‘Hide’ those healthy ingredients that children dislike
- Figure 37: Kidfresh’s official website and its product claims, 2023
- Provide a selection guide paired with pre-planned set meals
- Figure 38: The positioning of different categories of Heinz Baby and the ‘Six Abilities Scientific Nutrition System’ (亨氏六力科学营养体系) it promotes, 2023
- Increased awareness of ‘comprehensive’ and ‘varied’ nutrients supplementation
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Day-to-day and During Holidays Parent-child Interaction
- Play games on weekdays and go out on weekends for leisure
- Figure 39: Interaction with children during weekdays – interview excerpts, 2023
- Figure 40: Parent-child activities on weekends – interview excerpts, 2023
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- Figure 41: Photos related to child-friendly services in shopping malls taken by Mintel during visits to lower tier cities, 2023
- Figure 42: Photos of specialised hairdressing salons for children in shopping malls, taken by Mintel while visiting lower tier cities, 2023
- Family holidays with regional themes and experiences are favoured
- Figure 43: Parent-child trips taken and future parent-child travel plans – interview excerpts, 2023
- Figure 44: Perceptions of theme parks – interview excerpts, 2023
- Parents are open-minded on allowing their children to play mobile games
- Figure 45: Changes of interaction with children after COVID-19, by age, 2022
- Theme parks that incorporate festivals and IP characters are more appealing to young parents
- Figure 46: Attractive theme park programmes/services/features, by age – selected, 2022
- Ancient City + amusement fair would be a cost-effective and highly interactive way to promote parent-child bonding
- Figure 47: Wahaha Kids organised a springtime amusement fair in Liangzhu, 2023
- IP with innovative themes integrating the fun of ‘play + learn’
- Figure 48: Multiple IP-themed entertainment programmes in Xuzhou Fantawild Wonderland, 2023
- Play games on weekdays and go out on weekends for leisure
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Children’s Digital Products Usage and Parenting Styles
- ‘Short-video parenting’ has become the norm, but awareness and effective methods of usage control have not followed up
- Figure 49: Attitudes towards children’s usage of digital products – interview excerpts, 2023
- Figure 50: Attitudes towards children watching short videos – interview excerpts, 2023
- ‘Free-range’ parenting to develop children’s independence becomes mainstream
- Figure 51: Parenting styles – interview excerpts, 2023
- 60% of 10-12 year olds use smartphones for learning
- Figure 52: Children’s usage of digital products, by age of youngest child, 2022
- Parents in lower tier cities prefer ‘free-range’ way of parenting
- Figure 53: Parenting styles and mindset, by age of youngest child, 2022
- Emphasise that ‘free-range’ does not mean ‘letting go’, but rather growing together
- Figure 54: Babycare and Zhou Yijun present the short video My Second Childhood, 2023
- Leverage controlling and guiding to achieve the shift from ‘addiction’ to ‘immersion’
- Figure 55: Tencent Games’ FLOT campaign and the launch of the Parent Service Assistant, 2022-23
- ‘Short-video parenting’ has become the norm, but awareness and effective methods of usage control have not followed up
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Information Sources for Parenting and Changes in Parenting Priorities
- Seeking more practical and broader parenting information online
- Figure 56: Parenting/kids’ livestreamers to follow – interview excerpts, 2023
- Figure 57: Sources of parenting information – interview excerpts, 2023
- The importance of EQ development in a society where interpersonal relationships really matter
- Figure 58: Views on developing children’s EQ and IQ – interview excerpts, 2023
- Figure 59: Views on the Double Reduction Policy – interview excerpts, 2023
- Parents value family companionship and leisure time substantially more than they did before the pandemic
- Figure 60: Changes of parenting focus, by age – selected, 2020 vs 2023
- In the early education stage, modernised approaches to intellectual development are preferred
- Figure 61: Changes of spending on education and products, by age of youngest child – “Spent more”, 2022
- Online interactions that act as companions can promote brand attachment
- Figure 62: Mother’s Companion (陪你当妈) campaign by Tmall Mother & Baby and Study Class of Mother’s Companion (陪你当妈小课堂) launched by Taobao, 2023
- Brand public welfare activities in collaboration with regions
- Figure 63: Anta Kids’ River Dolphins and Nature Exploration campaign in collaboration with WWF, 2023
- Seeking more practical and broader parenting information online
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Appendix
- Abbreviations
- Interviewees’ photos
- Abbreviations
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