Inside China’s New Generation: How Young Consumers Are Redefining Lifestyle, Value and the Future of Spending

What brands, retailers, and marketers need to know about China’s next wave of digital natives

A Generation Growing Up in the Age of Digital Everything

China’s 1995–2009 cohort, nearly 260 million young people, makes up less than 20% of the population, yet contributes 40% of national consumption. Their spending power is projected to reach 16 trillion RMB by 2035, positioning them as the engine of China’s next decade of consumer growth.

These young consumers are digital natives who grew up with seamless online ecosystems, hyper-personalised content feeds, and algorithmic identity formation. They do not just consume products, they consume meaning. They buy comfort, alignment, identity, and belonging. They expect brands to reflect who they are and who they aspire to be.

1. The Lifestyle Reset: Digital-first, Socially Fluid, and Emotionally Selective

Short video is the new daily ritual

For 81% of young consumers, short video platforms are not entertainment, they are the default interface of daily life. Social media engagement follows closely at 59%, alongside news consumption, ecommerce, and esports.

Yet the nuance is where the insight lies:

• Men lean into esports, fitness, and digital communities.

• Women gravitate toward beauty, shopping, drama content, and social connection.

• Tier-1 youth are more active in online shopping and wellness routines.

• Lower-tier youth favour short video, reading, and cost-conscious entertainment.

Source: Forvis Mazars

Interests that tell a story

Food (72%), travel (59%), and shopping (43%) remain top universal interests, but Gen-05 stands out as the most fragmented, most curious, and most multi-dimensional, spanning culture, pets, art, and knowledge-based hobbies.

They are growing up learning not only from schools, but from algorithms.

Source: Forvis Mazars

Offline connection still matters

Despite their digital fluency, 79% meet friends at least once a month, making offline socialising both an emotional anchor and a cultural ritual.

• Women seek cultural, aesthetic spaces of bookstores, art venues, malls.

• Men prefer sports, gaming, and nightlife.

• Gen-05 gravitates toward safe, intimate spaces like libraries or home gatherings.

Source: Forvis Mazars

This blend of digital consumption and offline anchoring is redefining what “community” means.

The Information Graph: Social feeds over search bars

Social platforms and short video are now the primary information infrastructure, with 83% relying on them for news, trends, and lifestyle cues. Gen-05 is surprisingly drawn to official sources and podcasts, hinting at a shift toward more intentional information habits.

For brands, that means information strategy is no longer a channel choice, it is a cultural alignment.

2. Consumption Behaviour: Rational, Value-Driven, and Diversified

Rationality is the new mainstream

67% identify as rational consumers, prioritising value-performance and essentials over impulse. However, rationality does not mean restraint, it means precision. They budget with their minds, but they buy with their emotions.

Omnichannel is the norm, but women and men diverge

Over 90% shop online, but platform preferences split sharply:

• Women: livestream ecommerce, social shopping, offline experience stores

• Men: second-hand platforms, community group-buying

The rise of interest-based spending

Interest spending rarely exceeds 50% of monthly budgets, yet its emotional weight is disproportionate. Young people spend on shopping (78%), dining (75%), socialising (41%), travel (33%) and cultural entertainment (27%).

Tier-1 city youth invest more into fitness and lifestyle upgrades, signalling a quiet premiumisation of wellbeing.

Brand choices: Local confidence meets global selectivity

Half of young consumers are neutral toward global versus local brands. However, among those with preferences, the trend is unmistakable with 37% prefer Chinese brands and 9% prefer international ones.

International brands still hold power in jewellery, beauty, and electronics, but Chinese brands dominate apparel, food, and homeware, driven by cultural relevance, affordability, and design innovation.

Second-hand is now mainstream behaviour

82% have purchased second-hand goods; 23% do so monthly. Male participation is significantly higher, and frequency rises with age and city tier.

Sustainability, affordability, and uniqueness converge here, signalling an emerging circular economy mindset.

3. Values & Aspirations: Achievement, Independence, and the Pursuit of Meaning

Where achievement comes from

Recognition in both academic and professional context remains the biggest source of accomplishment (59%). Gaining new skills (42%) and securing an ideal job (41%) follow closely.

• Women prioritise career and self-development

• Men find validation through social belonging

• Gen-05 finds achievement in friendships and online visibility

• Gen-95 seeks career progression and stability

Source: Forvis Mazars

Redefining success

Success is increasingly multidimensional. Young people balance economic ambition with personal fulfilment: 59% still prioritise financial wealth, but nearly as many emphasise personal growth (54%), family happiness (41%), and skills or expertise (39%).

Women place more weight on inner growth; men on relationships and status. Tier differences paint a similar story: Tier-1 youth seek career achievement, while lower-tier youth seek financial stability.

A generation learning for identity, not just outcomes

The most desired skills reflect a generation preparing for instability, opportunity, and self-expression:

• Hobbies & passion skills (62%)

• Professional skills (59%)

• Soft skills & emotional intelligence (55%)

• Foreign languages (35%)

Career ideals: Freedom with safety nets

Career aspirations further illustrate a dual mindset. Freelance work appeals to nearly half of respondents (49%), yet public-sector staff is close behind (47%), alongside demand for specialised technical personnel (39%).

Source: Forvis Mazars

This indicates a generation seeking autonomy while still valuing institutional protection, balancing flexibility with long-term security.

Five-year goals: Independence over everything

Their top aspirations for the next five years include:

• Economic independence (67%)

• Career success (56%)

• Learning, growth, and exploration (44%)

• Love and stable relationships (39%)

• Travel and life experiences (38%)

Women prioritise self-growth; men prioritise relationships. Gen-00 is the most eager for financial independence; Gen-95 the most eager to build families.

The dream horizon

Long-term aspirations are strikingly consistent. Financial freedom is the dominant goal (81%), supported by strong interest in global travel (36%), meaningful partnerships (36%), and improvements in personal appearance (30%).

Overall, this generation is seeking a synthesis of security, self-expression, and holistic well-being.

What Brands Need to Do Now

1. Build emotional value, not product value

   In a rational world, emotion becomes the differentiator. Meaning beats markdowns.

2. Design for micro-cultures

   There is no “China youth.” There are hundreds of micro-segments shaped by city, age, gender, and interest.

3. Treat local identity as an advantage

   Cultural narrative and national pride drive purchasing more than logos do.

4. Lean into circular consumption

   Second-hand ecosystems, repair services, and trade-in programmes matter more than ever.

5. Create phygital experiences

   Blend content, community, and offline encounters. Young consumers live between both worlds.

6. Support their self-growth journeys

   Position your brand as a partner in identity-building, not just a seller of products.

Conclusion

China’s new generation is pragmatic but emotional, rational yet expressive, independent yet connection-seeking. They are shaping the country’s next decade of consumption not through spending alone, but through values, identity, and aspiration.

For brands, the opportunity is clear: Win their trust, speak their language, honour their individuality. Reach out to our team if you would like to understand how your brand could better engage China’s new generation.