"3 Hours Until Entry" Warehouse-Style Discount Store Draws Record Crowds, Even Attracting Shopping Expeditions from Hong Kong

Increased Demand for Affordable Daily Necessities Amid Economic Slowdown
Hong Kong Dollar Strength Boosts Mainland China Shopping Trips

A warehouse-style store, Costco, which opened in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China, attracted a record-breaking crowd.

On the 12th, according to Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) and local media Sing Tao Daily, a large number of customers flocked to Costco in Shenzhen, China, forming long lines along metal fences even before the morning opening, with entry taking up to three hours.

On the 12th, people are shopping at the new Costco store in Shenzhen, China.
[Photo by Xinhua News Agency]

Local media reported that popular items such as strawberries and cherries quickly sold out, and fruits, bread, frozen meat, and seafood were especially popular.

One resident told China Daily in an interview, "I arrived at 8 a.m. this morning and just bought items worth over 2,000 yuan (about 370,000 won)," adding, "There are so many people now that I plan to come back again this evening."

Limited-time discount products sold out quickly on the day, leading to complaints. Zhao Yingchun, a Shenzhen resident, said, "Strawberries were cheaper at about 30 yuan per 500g, but they sold out quickly before noon. The Maotai liquor advertised by Costco was limited to only 100 bottles, which was not enough for customers," adding, "I just bought shrimp, but I’m not sure if it’s cheaper than at the nearby Sam's Club."

Foreign media pointed to two reasons for Costco's popularity: the increased demand for affordable daily necessities due to the slowdown in China's economic growth, and the Hong Kong dollar's strength against the yuan, which has led to more shoppers coming from Hong Kong to mainland China.

Accordingly, Sam's Club, operated by Walmart, is also reportedly gaining great popularity in the Shenzhen area.

The store that opened in Shenzhen on this day is the sixth Costco store in China. It displays over 4,000 well-known brand products supplied by Chinese and overseas companies, and the four-story store has a total area of 44,500 square meters (13,500 pyeong), with the shopping space alone covering 15,000 square meters (4,500 pyeong).

Costco previously opened its first store in China in Shanghai in August 2019, which also attracted crowds and ended its first day of business early.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.