Night Economy

Insight China Issue 33, 2019

When night falls, the lights start to shine, and the day’s work ends. But night heralds another world and for many people their “day” is just beginning. Shopping, catering, entertainment, studying, tourism, leisure … various kinds of night activities have become the trend of the times.

At night, the attraction of food is the most difficult thing to resist. Between 7 and 8 p.m. is the peak consumption time at Freshhema stores, an experiment of Alibaba Group’s new retail concept. After 9 p.m., the consumption of take-out catering in the second-tier cities sees the biggest increase. From 11 p.m. to midnight, more than 83 percent of well-reputed shops are still in operation. And the proportion was 60 percent after midnight.

People like to enjoy all forms of entertainment at night. Music concerts, operas, Chinese folk art, and sports events all have strong appeal. Sanlian Taofen Bookstore, Page One and other 24-hour bookstores have become popular places for people to visit at night. Overnight museum and night tour exhibition halls are also attracting crowds with their innovative programs and long opening hours.

For a long time, due to the influence of climate, culture, and other factors, the night economy in southern China has had a natural advantage. Surprisingly, therefore, in the latest consumption trends, the night economy of northern cities is particularly outstanding. Many policy measures to reengineer night consumption are changing the former perception that northern China goes to sleep at night.