| Demographics and culture of Hong Kong |
|---|
| Demographics |
| Culture |
| Other Hong Kong topics |
Shopping is a popular social activity in Hong Kong,[1][2] where basic items for sale do not draw any duties, sales taxation, or import taxation.[3] Only specificimport goods such asalcohol,tobacco,perfumes,cosmetics,cars andpetroleum products have associated taxes. For companies, there is a 17.5%corporate tax, which is lower than international standards.[1] Shoppers reportedly spend over US$5.2 billion a month in Hong Kong shops.[4]
Hong Kong's proximity to manufacturing plants inChina, as well as its status as afree port, allow it to sell and transport a wide variety of goods. There are few restrictions on merchandise vending, and therefore items such as realistictoy weapons are available. The two main shopping seasons are atChristmas and theChinese New Year.
The region is unique in the sense that it is official languages are both Cantonese and English, which enables a healthy tourist trade with English-speaking customers as bilingual sales tags and salespeople are common, especially in tourist areas. TheMTR subway and effectivetaxi service also facilitate Hong Kong's busy shopping industry.
Hong Kong is the fifth largest exporter of jewellery in the world, mainly in the supply ofjade andgold, and the second largest exporter of custom jewellery.[5] Chow Seng Seng andLuk Fook are among the more well-known local jewellery chains.[1]
A variety of cuisines are available in Hong Kong; the Soho area inCentral is the centre for Western foods, while traditional Chinese cuisines includingShanghainese,Hanainanese, andCantonese are widely available. Street vendors orhawkers selling local snacks such asdumplings andsnake soup can be found inMong Kok andCauseway Bay.
Customtailoring is popular and affordable in Hong Kong. Customers can draw out a design for clothing and have it made in a few days. Modern fashion is sold in theTimes Square,IFC, andElements shopping malls, while leather goods are available inTsim Sha Tsui.Fa Yuen Street and theLadies Market (女人街) on Tung Choi Street in Mong Kok, as well as Jardine’s Crescent in Causeway Bay, are known for the availability of low-priced clothing and accessories.
Electronics from Japan and Europe are available for example inApliu Street and the Golden Shopping Center inSham Shui Po. There are computer appliances centers inWan Chai, Mong Kok,Tsim Sha Tsui,Kowloon, and Causeway Bay.
Japanese culture has become popular in Hong Kong, withJapanese department stores such asSogo, Yata, andMuji operating. Japanese clothing brands likeSwordfish, Moussy, andUniqlo have also opened flagship stores in the city.
Stanley Market sells a variety of inexpensive goods, particularly souvenirs. Antiques can be found onUpper Lascar Row andHollywood Road, which are popular with tourists.
During its earlycolonial period, Hong Kong served as a port that sold far more than it consumed. Goods were mostly sold via mobile hawking or independent traders, with the majority of trade, utilities, shipping, and manufacturing handled by major business houses known ashongs.[6] The establishment of banks and deposit institutions allowed people to accumulatesavings.
The economy underwent an upturn in the1960s, which led to the opening of several shopping centres.
Two of the first modern shopping centres wereOcean Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui andThe Landmark inCentral, above theMTR station.[2]Daimaru led a trend of Japanese exports into Hong Kong in 1966[2] andDeng Xiaoping's 1978Open Door Policy made Hong Kong the definitive gateway toChina.[1] As the economy improved during the 1970s and 80s, there was increasing demand forluxury goods, such asair conditioning.[7]
In 1984,Cityplaza inTaikoo Shing was redeveloped. A large architectural project at the time was also undertaken to connectOcean Centre to theHarbour City shopping mall inTsim Sha Tsui. Many large shopping centres were also built in thenew towns, includingTuen Mun Town Plaza,New Town Plaza, andTai Po Mega Mall.
The large mall construction movement continued into the 1990s withPacific Place,Dragon Centre,Time Square,Plaza Hollywood andFestival Walk.[2] Developments further expanded into theNew Territories.
