商务部推全国性“消费月”

More than 80,000 enterprises in China, including shopping malls, restaurants and other retailers, are planning about 800 themed promotion activities around the country. These activities are expected to focus on brand promotion, credit, online shopping, green buying and healthy food.

Also, eight large banks in the country are carrying out a privileged policy for consumers who buy durable goods via installments, such as home appliances. Jiang Zengwei, vice minister of commerce explains.

"We hope to offer consumers high quality goods at lower prices. What's more important is that we enhance the service quality and crack down on fake and substandard goods. And the food safety issue concerning all consumers is expected to be addressed through this consumption promotion month."

In Wuxi, Jiangsu province, consumer goods expos are being held, and some home appliance retailers have lowered their prices by 30 percent. Home appliance retailer Suning is one of them. Zheng Baoji, head of the retailer in Wuxi explains.

"We tag these necessary home appliances at very low prices. Consumers, who have the certificate for urban lowest income families, authorized by the local civil administration bureau, will be able to get the home appliances from us at the low prices."

Low prices will always be attractive to consumers. However, what consumers are concerned with the most is sometimes quality and service, not just price.

One consumer says that what she cares about the most is food safety. She doesn't want to get fake or substandard goods or services bought at lower prices.
Mi Junchu, head of Wuxi Bureau of Commerce says they believe the consumption promotion month will bring a good result.

"Looking at the first three month of 2012, domestic consumption was unremarkable. We hope through the consumption promotion month in April, retail volume will increase by more than 20 percent."

Apart from that in Wuxi, consumption promotion activities are also organized in other cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Ningbo in Zhejiang province.

According to the official website of the Ningbo government, seven categories of themed activities will be carried out during the consumption month, including brand exhibitions, online shopping campaigns, and food expos.

In the first two months of 2012, retail sales decreased about 3.4 percent compared to that in December last year.

In order to create more demand and drive the upgrade of consumption structure, the central government will give more financial support this year in motivating commerce and consumption.

For CRI, I am Zhang Wan.