China Duty Free Group (CDF) has confirmed that its first downtown duty-free store in Shanghai is on track to open by the end of this month. The company is speeding up preparations for the launch, following the completion of upgrades at its Dalian store, which reopened on December 31, 2024. In line with a recent policy update, existing duty-free stores that pass an inspection can continue operating, and a new initiative will introduce one downtown duty-free store in each of eight additional cities across China. CDF has already secured the rights to open stores in six new cities — Guangzhou, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Xi’an, Fuzhou — and is expanding its reach into other eligible cities.