New features changing holiday spending habits

High-end gifts, pricey eateries fall from favor; cinemas see 98% rise in patrons

China's spending during the traditional Spring Festival maintained double-digit growth this year but the pace marked the slowest in more than a decade, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The central government's promotion of frugal dining and restrictions on public spending on high-end gifts and restaurants were mainly to blame. However, a new emphasis on cultural, recreational and tourism spending will continue to set the country's purchasing trends in the near future, a senior commerce expert said.