Read More
As the 5-day HKTDC Food Expo concluded on Monday, many shoppers took advantage of last-minute offers and snatched up discounted goods. However, exhibitors had mixed feelings.
ADVERTISEMENT
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) said the five concurrent fairs -- including Food Expo, Food Expo PRO, Beauty & Wellness Expo, Home Delights Expo, and Hong Kong International Tea Fair -- have drawn over 500,000 visitors and an overall spending capita of HK$1,615.
Lee, the stall owner of Good Point Food at the Food Expo, noted that the visitor flow has increased and their new products are expected to drive the overall business in the Expo.
The manager of a Japanese food stall stated that their sales had increased compared to last year and many of their special-priced sets were selling faster than expected.
However, the marketing director of a fishball shop stated that the business is almost the same as last Expo, although there are many more visitors compared to the previous year.
One shopper, while acknowledging that the product prices were not exceptionally low, shared that he ended up spending more than at the previous Food Expo.
Another shopper Sze, who went to the Expo with his family, noted that they had spent more than HK$3,000 though he agreed the sales were not as appealing as they expected.
Some stall owners reported a 10 percent decrease in business revenue and resorted to clearing their stocks with slashed prices earlier on the last day. Deals from HK$1 to HK$20 for various products were offered, ranging from curry sauce, spiced pork cubes, and Taiyaki.
A Taiwanese instant noodle stall owner anticipated a drop in sales due to consumer cautiousness and reduced spending.
Wong, another booth owner, suggested that the economic downturn was one of the reasons why customers were hesitant to spend more. He noticed they tend to consider their options before making larger purchases.
A dessert booth manager, Siu, attributed the 40 percent decrease in sales to the limited support and subsidies from the government and the lack of promotion of the fair.
