Targeting Gen Z in China? Key consumer characteristics

Subscribe to Jing Daily Pro for 1 annual report download, or upgrade to Jing Daily Intel ($45/month) for 4 annual downloads. China’s Gen Z is redefining what luxury consumption looks like in the world’s second-largest luxury market. Born between 1997 and 2012, this digitally native, globally fluent generation is driving disruptive societal norms, while carving out fleeting online style identities at a rapid pace. Shaped by social platforms, niche subcultures, and shifting life priorities, Gen Z funnels disposable income into experiences, emotional value, and self-expression — creating a consumer landscape that is at once highly individualistic, community-driven, and increasingly influential for brands looking toward the next decade. Here are some of the cohort’s key characteristics that Jing Daily’s latest market intelligence report, Value-driven mega spenders: What will define China’s Gen Z in 2026, uncovers. 1. Collective taste-making Despite their emphasis on individuality, Chinese Gen Z consumers are deeply community-led, with purchasing decisions often shaped by collective validation rather than personal taste alone. Digital platforms like Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote) function as cultural consensus engines, where trends gain momentum through peer adoption, shared rituals, and visual repetition. From style subcultures and fandom economies to “third space” running clubs and café scenes, Gen Z consumption is driven by a desire to belong to clearly defined tribes. In an environment marked by social pressure and weakened traditional support systems, buying into the “right” product, aesthetic, or experience offers both emotional reassurance and social credibility — making peer-to-peer recommendation a powerful force in how trends form, spread, and scale across China’s youth market. As Olivia Plotnick, founder of Wai Social says, “The key for fashion brands looking to reach Gen Z is recognizing and acting on the shift from selling products to building culture. For Gen Z, community, identity, and shared rituals matter more than traditional top-down brand messaging. The brands experiencing success currently are creating ecosystems where young people can participate, co-create, and express themselves.” 2. Emotion-driven consumption Among young people in China, emotion is driving luxury consumption which has stirred a resurgence of “kawaii” aesthetics, and expressive brand storytelling as a powerful cultural tool. Whether through humor, playfulness, nostalgia, or clearly articulated values, young consumers are drawn to brands that make them feel something. The popularity of kawaii-coded products like plush charms or childlike graphics reflects a broader desire for joy, emotional comfort, and momentary escape amid social and economic pressure. In this context, successful brands are those that communicate warmth, personality, and emotional resonance, using storytelling to foster attachment, spark delight, and create shareable moments that travel organically across Gen Z’s digital communities. After all, brands should consider one of life’s biggest luxuries: joy. 3. Wanderlust In Jing Daily’s October 2025 survey of young consumers in Beijing and Shanghai, 60% ranked vacation as their top spending category ahead of fashion and saving, while 44% reported spending more on travel since Covid-19. This shift reflects a broader generational reorientation: with traditional life milestones like marriage declining, and work increasingly seen as a means to fund meaningful experiences, young Chinese are using travel as both a personal statement and a cultural currency. Travel has become a defining priority, reshaping how this cohort allocates its growing discretionary income. Whether chasing hobby-driven destinations, wellness retreats, or market exclusives abroad, Gen Z travelers seek emotional identity enrichment, and experiential luxury seemingly more than ever

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Targeting Gen Z in China? Key consumer characteristics