Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- A history of the middle class in china
- Defining the middle class
- How the middle class has emerged
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- Figure 1: Region lived in during childhood, by city, April 2012
- Attitudes towards property ownership
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- Figure 2: Household composition, April 2012
- Education is the core foundation
- The connected middle class – smartphones and smart shopping
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- Figure 3: Brand of smartphone owned, by city, April 2012
- Middle class spending habits
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- Figure 4: Purchase of luxury items abroad, April 2012
A History of the Middle Class in China
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- Summary
- Definitions influenced by political influence
- Defining China’s middle class – the economics
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- Figure 5: Defining the China middle class – household income parameters, 2003-12, per annum income required to be middle class in Tier 1 China
- Defining China’s middle class – the caveats
How Much has China’s Middle Class Grown?
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- Summary
- Only a small proportion of households are middle class
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- Figure 6: China’s shrinking demographics, 2000-12
- Why has the middle class grown so quickly?
- Urbanisation
- Wage growth
- Subsidies and taxation
- Expansion of chain retailing
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- Figure 7: The continued growth of organised chain retailing in china, 2007-11
- The edge-city middle class – to the ’burbs
- Savings and credit
- Greater ‘freedom’ of press drives consumerism
How the Middle Class Has Emerged
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- Summary
- The rapid ascent from blue collar backgrounds
- Emergence of women as ‘equals’ accentuates growth
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- Figure 8: Father’s/mother’s working background, April 2012
- The rural-urban migration
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- Figure 9: Region lived in during childhood, by city, April 2012
- Figure 10: Region lived in during childhood, by age group, April 2012
- Financial prudence laid foundations for consumerism to flourish
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- Figure 11: Living situation during childhood, April 2012
- Figure 12: Living situation during childhood, by city, April 2012
Attitudes Towards Property Ownership
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- Summary
- Property is highly desired by the middle classes
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- Figure 13: Type of primary residence, April 2012
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- Figure 14: Type of property ownership, by city, April 2012
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- Figure 15: Number of bedrooms in property, April 2012
- Ageing population sets future challenge for middle classes
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- Figure 16: Household composition, April 2012
Education is the Core Foundation Of Middle Class Children
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- Summary
- Education has the highest priority across all of China
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- Figure 17: Type of children’s education, April 2012
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- Figure 18: Financial impact of children’s education, April 2012
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- Figure 19: Further education currently undertaken, by city, April 2012
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- Figure 20: Type of further education currently undertaken, April 2012
Finances – Saving for Rainy Days but Learning to Love Credit
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- Summary
- Savings dominate financial behaviour
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- Figure 21: Monthly savings rate, April 2012
- Figure 22: Monthly savings rate, by gender, April 2012
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- Figure 23: The propensity to save and pay down debt, April 2012
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- Figure 24: Credit card possession, by city, April 2012
The Connected Middle Class – Smartphones and Smart Shopping
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- Summary
- High repeat sales due to poor quality of goods
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- Figure 25: Monthly expenditure on appliances, April 2012
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- Figure 26: Technology ownership - household, April 2012
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- Figure 27: Technology ownership - personal, April 2012
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- Figure 28: Brand of smartphone owned, April 2012
- Figure 29: Brand of smartphone owned, by city, April 2012
- Use of technology drives online engagement
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- Figure 30: Online shopping, April 2012
Middle Class Spending Habits
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- Summary
- Range and frequency of leisure activities undertaken is extensive
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- Figure 31: Leisure activities, April 2012
- Car ownership indicative of aspiration levels
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- Figure 32: Monthly expenditure on cars, April 2012
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- Figure 33: Monthly expenditure on cars, by gender and age group, April 2012
- Figure 34: Monthly expenditure on cars, by city, April 2012
- Discretionary spending reflects value of this consumer group
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- Figure 35: Discretionary spending, April 2012
- Luxury market in China is increasingly competitive
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- Figure 36: Luxury brand possession, April 2012
- Figure 37: Luxury brand possession, by age and gender, April 2012
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- Figure 38: Luxury item buying intention, April 2012
- Many luxury items are purchased outside of China
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- Figure 39: Purchase of luxury items abroad, April 2012
Expansion In Travel Changes Middle Class Perspective
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- Summary
- International and domestic travel is rising rapidly
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- Figure 40: Holidays taken in the last 12 months, April 2012
Some Issues Worth Thinking About…
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- The loss of the little guy – the growth of organised retailing
- Monoculture – China’s globalised middle class
- When it comes to the middle class bulge, is China the new Japan?
- Influencing the nation – the middle class as inspiration
The Future of the Middle Class
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- China’s middle class created by Shengshi…
- The future growth of the middle class will come from tier 2 and tier 3 cities
Appendix – A History of the Middle Class in China
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- Figure 41: Defining the middle class in China, 1999-2015
- Figure 42: Defining the middle class in China, 1999-2015 (continued)
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Appendix – Background and Current Living Situation
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- Figure 43: Region lived in during childhood, April 2012
- Figure 44: Region lived in during childhood, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 45: Living situation during childhood, April 2012
- Figure 46: Living situation during childhood, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 47: Father's/Mother's working background, April 2012
- Figure 48: Most popular father's working background, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 49: Next most popular father's working background, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 50: Other father's working background, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 51: Most popular mother's working background, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 52: Next most popular mother's working background, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 53: Other mother's working background, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 54: Type of primary residence, April 2012
- Figure 55: Most popular type of primary residence, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 56: Number of bedrooms in property, April 2012
- Figure 57: Number of bedrooms in property, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 58: Type of property ownership, April 2012
- Figure 59: Type of property ownership, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 60: Household composition, April 2012
- Figure 61: Household composition, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 62: Type of children's education, April 2012
- Figure 63: Most popular type of children's education, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 64: Next most popular type of children's education, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 65: Financial impact of children's eductaion, April 2012
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- Figure 66: Most popular financial impact of children's eductaion, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 67: Next most popular financial impact of children's eductaion, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 68: Further education currently undertaken, April 2012
- Figure 69: Further education currently undertaken, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 70: Type of further education currently undertaken, April 2012
- Figure 71: Type of further education currently undertaken, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 72: Monthly savings rate, April 2012
- Figure 73: Most popular monthly savings rate, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 74: Next most popular monthly savings rate, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 75: Credit card possession, April 2012
- Figure 76: Credit card possession, by demographics, April 2012
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Appendix – Product Ownership – Technology
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- Figure 77: Technology ownership – Household, April 2012
- Figure 78: Most popular technology ownership – Household, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 79: Next most popular technology ownership – Household, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 80: Other technology ownership – Household, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 81: Technology ownership – Personal, April 2012
- Figure 82: Technology ownership – Personal, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 83: Smartphone ownership, April 2012
- Figure 84: Smartphone ownership, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 85: Brand of smartphone owned, April 2012
- Figure 86: Most popular brand of smartphone owned, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 87: Next most popular brand of smartphone owned, by demographics, April 2012
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Appendix – Spending habits
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- Figure 88: Monthly expenditure, April 2012
- Figure 89: Monthly expenditure – Add to my savings, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 90: Monthly expenditure – reduce non-mortgage debts (credit card, personal loan, overdraft etc), by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 91: Monthly expenditure – book a holiday, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 92: Monthly expenditure – buy major domestic appliance (washing machine, fridge etc), by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 93: Monthly expenditure – buy new electrical equipment (television, PC, games console etc), by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 94: Monthly expenditure – buy/replace my car, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 95: Monthly expenditure – spend money on my home (new kitchen, redecorate, new furniture etc), by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 96: Monthly expenditure – dine out in a higher priced restaurant (ie no take away or fast food restaurants), by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 97: Monthly expenditure – go to a concert/sporting event/theatre, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 98: Monthly expenditure – buy new clothes, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 99: Discretionary spending, April 2012
- Figure 100: Most popular discretionary spending, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 101: Next most popular discretionary spending, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 102: Other discretionary spending, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 103: Least popular discretionary spending, by demographics, April 2012
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Appendix – Shopping Habits – Luxury
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- Figure 104: Online shopping, April 2012
- Figure 105: Most popular online shopping, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 106: Next most popular online shopping, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 107: Luxury brand possession, April 2012
- Figure 108: Most popular luxury brand possession, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 109: Next most popular luxury brand possession, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 110: Luxury item buying intention, April 2012
- Figure 111: Most popular luxury item buying intention, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 112: Next most popular luxury item buying intention, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 113: Purchase of luxury items abroad, April 2012
- Figure 114: Most popular purchase of luxury items abroad, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 115: Next most popular purchase of luxury items abroad, by demographics, April 2012
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Appendix – Holiday Habits
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- Figure 116: Holidays taken in the last 12 months, April 2012
- Figure 117: Most popular holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 118: Next most popular holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 119: Other holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 120: Least popular holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 121: Most popular independent holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 122: Next most popular independent holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 123: Other independent holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 124: Least popular independent holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 125: Most popular package holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 126: Next most popular package holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 127: Other package holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 128: Least popular package holidays taken in the last 12 months, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 129: Holiday spending, April 2012
- Figure 130: Most popular holiday spending, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 131: Next most popular holiday spending, by demographics, April 2012
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Appendix – Attitudes and Behaviours – Leisure
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- Figure 132: Leisure activities, April 2012
- Figure 133: Eat out at a restaurant, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 134: Visit bars/pubs, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 135: Go to the cinema, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 136: Go to a nightclub, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 137: Go to the theatre/musical/opera, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 138: Visit a cultural venue, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 139: Attend live sports events, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 140: Visit a zoo/wildlife park, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 141: Go to music concerts/festivals, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 142: Do DIY/home improvement, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 143: Tend your own garden/allotment/grow own fruit and vegetables, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 144: Play video games, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 145: Use a public leisure centre, by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 146: Use a private health and fitness club, by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 147: Do recreational exercises outside of health clubs/leisure centres, by demographics, April 2012
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Appendix – Attitudes towards Shopping
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- Figure 148: Attitudes towards shopping (any agree), April 2012
- Figure 149: Most popular attitudes towards shopping (any agree), by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 150: Next most popular attitudes towards shopping (any agree), by demographics, April 2012
- Figure 151: Other attitudes towards shopping (any agree), by demographics, April 2012
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- Figure 152: Least popular attitudes towards shopping (any agree), by demographics, April 2012
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