Exhibition explores growing baby-care market

An exhibition featuring 2,105 baby-care and maternity brands from 1,454 exhibitors kicked off in Shanghai on Tuesday.

The 13th Shanghai International Children-Baby-Maternity Industry Expo features a wide range of products and services from baby food to strollers, and clothing to accessories in a 138,000 sq m exhibition space.

In a 1,000 sq m outdoor gallery area, visitors can find the latest in fashion, toys, and other maternity, children and baby products.

The expo also displays products made in China and gives foreign entrepreneurs a chance to learn how to grow their business locally.

The three-day fair looks to tap the world's second-largest economy as more middle-class parents are willing to spend more on their babies.

There are 220 million children under the age of 14, accounting for 16.6 percent of the nation's total population, according to the latest population census by the National Bureau of Statistics.

Experts predict the industry will have a market size of up to 2 trillion yuan ($326 billion) by 2015.