As China prepares for a nine‑day Chinese New Year break, consumers have entered the 2026 festive season with a renewed focus on self‑care, emotional connection, and meaningful celebration.
Mintel’s "Look Ahead: Chinese New Year, China, 2026" explored how these shifts have shaped behaviour in food and drink offering brands fresh opportunities to meet evolving consumer expectations.
Health and comfort dominate CNY concerns: Consumers’ top worries during the holiday included health anxiety driven by disrupted diets, overeating and irregular routines (31 percent). This shifts demand toward foods that feel lighter, nourishing and restorative.
Gifting becomes more heartfelt as personalisation beats formality: Consumers now prioritise gifts that are matched to personal preferences and needs (49 percent), followed by health and wellness (e.g. nourishing, low-sugar, health-promoting functions) (42 percent); they also ranked "practicality" as one of the key factors for CNY gifting (36 percent). The emphasis moves from “respectable presentation” to warm, meaningful gifting.
Generational differences can shape food and drink gifting choices: Mintel research showed that post-1995s focus strongly on health and wellness (47 percent); Post-1990s value hassle-free, fast logistics (43 percent); while Post-1980s emphasise presentability and social role signalling (38 percent). This shows a blended expectation of health, convenience, and appropriateness.
What consumers plan to buy for gifting: Among health-conscious respondents, the top categories include health supplements (e.g., bird’s nest, vitamins, ginseng), food and drink gift boxes (snacks, tea sets, fruit), and quality-of-life items such as clothing, shoes, and small/smart home appliances. These categories combine practical value with emotional warmth.
Health-forward, scenario-based food and drink wins the season: For example, Want Want’s low-GI range aligns perfectly with consumer needs, easy to share, healthier, and still strongly festive. Brands that pair better with your profiles with portable, social formats win greater appeal.
Convenience drives channel choice: CNY shopping has shifted from broad coverage to high trust membership supermarkets (curated, good value, suitable for bulk gifting) (33 percent in 2025 vs 46 percent in 2026); instant delivery platforms for last minute gifts (27 percent in 2025 vs 29 percent in 2026); and trendy collection stores (13 percent in 2025 vs 15 percent in 2026). This suggests that consumers prefer channels that minimise effort and reduce “buyer’s regret”.
More trends and insights here
