区域观察 | 消费第一城易主，重庆何以反超上海？

Core Viewpoint - Chongqing has emerged as China's "Consumption Capital" in the first half of the year, surpassing Shanghai by a retail sales total of 39.96 billion yuan, driven by cultural tourism integration, innovative scenarios, and policy collaboration [1][2]. Group 1: Retail Sales Performance - In the first half of the year, Chongqing's total retail sales of consumer goods reached 830.04 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.5%, with a growth rate 0.4 percentage points higher than the first quarter [1]. - Shanghai's retail sales totaled 826.04 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 1.7%, but its growth rate improved by 2.8 percentage points compared to the first quarter [1]. - Chongqing consistently outperformed Shanghai in retail sales from January to April, indicating a strong competitive edge in the national consumption market [1]. Group 2: Population and Market Dynamics - Chongqing's large and vibrant population base, with a resident population of 31.90 million by the end of 2024, supports its robust consumer market [2]. - The youth demographic in Chongqing contributes significantly to market vitality, as evidenced by substantial growth in smart device sales, with increases of 351.6% for smartphones and 435.3% for wearable devices [2]. Group 3: Policy Initiatives - In April, Chongqing launched six major initiatives aimed at upgrading consumption, expanding service consumption, and enhancing consumer activities, with a goal to achieve a retail sales growth rate of 5% by 2025 [3]. - The city has organized over 700 consumption promotion events in the second quarter, generating direct sales of 7 billion yuan [3]. Group 4: New Consumption Scenarios - Chongqing is developing new consumption scenarios, integrating new business models and products to enhance consumer experience, with 286 new consumption scenes established [4]. - Notable projects from Chongqing have been recognized as typical cases for national consumption upgrades, showcasing the city's innovative approach [4]. Group 5: Future Outlook - The city is implementing measures to boost consumption, focusing on income growth and quality improvement, which are expected to inject new momentum into the market [4][5]. - Emphasis on leveraging unique local resources and developing new consumption types, such as live e-commerce and low-altitude tourism, is part of the strategy to maintain its position as the "Consumption Capital" [5][6].