Rise of domestic brands reeling in 'China haul'

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Beyond individual shopping experiences, broader consumer perceptions of Chinese brands are evolving.

According to Ipsos' 2025 Global Trust Index for Chinese Brands, the global net trust score for Chinese brands rose by 12 percentage points from the previous year to 32 percent, while the proportion of consumers in developed markets who expressed trust in Chinese brands reached 36 percent.

Guo Xiaoling, a professor of marketing at the Business School of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said Chinese brands must win acceptance, trust and even become aspirational for consumers in developed markets to command a price premium.

"In the early 2000s, when China joined the World Trade Organization, 'Made in China' was often associated with low prices and value for money, targeting lower-end market segments rather than mainstream markets. Over the past two decades, China has made significant progress in the transition from Chinese products to Chinese brands," said Guo.

Overseas perceptions of Chinese brands have been shaped by China's growing national strength and cultural influence, breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and new energy vehicles, as well as improvements in innovation, design, quality and sustainability, she said.

Citing Bain & Company's 2025 China Personal Luxury Report, Guo pointed to homegrown high-end brands such as fashion label Icicle, jewelry brand Laopu Gold, fragrance brand Documents and handbag maker Songmont.

"Brand craftsmanship, storytelling and interactions with potential consumers on social media now play a major role in stimulating consumer interest and desire," said Guo.

At Songmont's flagship store at Indigo shopping mall in Beijing, she met young foreign consumers who had come specifically to shop and learned they had discovered the brand through social media.

When teaching foreign exchange students, Guo asked them to visit well-known Chinese brand experience spaces, such as Pop Land. She believes these firsthand interactions deepen their understanding of Chinese brands and culture and encourage positive word-of-mouth when they return home.

"If social media is the digital infrastructure for elevating Chinese brands, then firsthand experience is the booster and the experience capsule built on top of it," she said.

Chinese businesses should recognize that their brands represent the country to overseas consumers, whether through Laopu Gold's cultural heritage or Pop Mart's broader appeal.

"When overseas consumers learn that a brand they like originates in China, their fondness for that brand will inevitably lead to a more positive perception of Chinese brands as a whole," said Guo.