From April 13th to 18th, the fourth China International Consumer Products Expo (hereafter referred to as the “Expo”) was held in Hainan.
The theme of this year’s Expo was “Sharing Open Opportunities, Creating a Better Life.” The Expo saw significant increases in exhibition area, number of participating brands, and numbers of various types of purchasers and exhibitors compared to the first Expo, with an expected turnout of over 55,000 professional visitors.
The Expo featured over 4,000 brands from 71 countries and regions, divided into several exhibition zones, including Digital and Services, Buy Globally Sell Globally, Jewelry, High-End Food and Health Products, Global Specialties, Fashion Life, and nationally featured Trendy Products.
Heavy-Hitters From the UK and French Pavilions Made a Significant Impact
2024 marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Ireland. This year, Ireland was invited as the guest of honor at the Expo, showcasing its national image and industrial strength in high-quality consumer goods, high-tech innovation, educational investment attractiveness, tourist destinations, and unique cultural experiences.
Italy, France, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, China, and Macau, China also continued to organize national and regional exhibition groups. Countries participating for the first time included the UK, Russia, Mongolia, and Malaysia, with the “British Brand Day” activities included as one of the eight special events.
The UK’s Department for Business and Trade set up the first UK National Pavilion, showcasing brands in luxury goods, fashion, nutrition and health, and beauty sectors, including luxury mobile phone brand XOR; jewelry brand Tateossian London; watch winder brand Rapport; clothing brands Hilditch & Key, Bates At. Johnstons of Elgin, footwear brands Loake, Church‘s, Barker, Tricker’s; health brand Vitabiotics; and fragrance brands EVE LOM, This Works, Epara among others, totaling 14 brands.
EVE LOM, participating for the first time, launched its “Radiance” cream and showcased a product matrix inspired by SPA therapeutic steps: “Cleanse, Apply, Heal, Nourish.” This includes the legendary EVE LOM Cleansing Cream, EVE LOM “Renewal Treatment” Essential Oil, and EVE LOM “Fountain of Eve” Essential Oil Scented Candle, demonstrating the brand’s strength in emotional skincare.
Jewelry brand Tateossian London, founded in 1990 by Robert Tateossian, is known for its “distinctive designs and meticulously crafted jewelry that highlights the personal style of both men and women,” deeply integrating playful aesthetics and mechanical movement elements into the brand’s DNA.
The 226-year-old Scottish cashmere brand Johnstons of Elgin, founded by Alexander Johnston in 1797, as a British royal warrant holder and a social enterprise, is known as the “British centennial cashmere authority,” respecting and preserving craftsmanship and passing on traditional skills through generations.
This year also coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France and the China-France Cultural and Tourism Year. France comprehensively showcased its excellence in fashion, beauty products, and gourmet foods with a pavilion designed after the bustling French commercial streets and Haussmann-style department stores, allowing visitors to experience authentic “French flair.”
Eleven French brands appeared at the French pavilion, including L’Oréal, Galénic, 2AM, D-Lab, LPG® GROUP, Lysédia, Pierre Fabre, Lalique, and others in beauty, along with men’s clothing brand Cerruti 1881, and food and liquor brands Danone and Pernod Ricard.
Galenic made its Expo debut with its new “Snow Algae Peptide” Essence, continuing its four-decade pursuit in the anti-aging field with the exclusive patented snow algae peptide ingredient, which penetrates the skin’s layers to effectively delay aging. This essence is a significant innovation in the “Snow Algae Peptide” series.
The founder of 2AM, LIONEL DE BENETTI, former R&D president of the Clarins group and the lead developer of Clarins’ “Double Serum,” made his real debut in the Chinese market through the Expo.
LPG® unveiled the “Beauty Alliance Body Beauty Device” with patented endermologie® technology, a customized treatment plan that deviates from traditional intense photothermal stimulation for facial and body beauty purposes.
Fashion Life: Latest Designs in Watches and Apparel
In the fashion life consumer exhibition area, Swiss watchmaking giant Swatch Group, British luxury brand Burberry, and other leading enterprises participated for the fourth consecutive time.
Swatch Group brought Longines, Rado, and Tissot to the Expo, showcasing new products and classic items.
Longines displayed its new Mini DolceVita collection, the new Conquest series Joyful wristwatches, and several classic timepieces from the Master Collection.
Tissot introduced its new Seastar Collection 40mm mechanical watches, along with the popular in China Seastar Collection, Lovely Collection, and Supersport Chrono series.
At the Expo, Burberry showcased its pioneering Gabardine fabric, craftsmanship, and iconic check pattern through its heritage trench coats, offering an engaging, immersive brand experience. The latest designs included new season ready-to-wear, bags, and footwear. The booth also displayed a selection of brand promotional images from the 20th century, reflecting the brand’s philosophy of allowing people to roam freely outdoors, unaffected by unpredictable weather.
In terms of booth design, Burberry interpreted its iconic equestrian knight logo through a novel deconstructive perspective, paying homage to the brand’s history with modern design language.
Cosmetics Groups Display Corporate Culture
American luxury beauty giant Estée Lauder Companies Inc participated in the Expo for the third consecutive time. The pavilion continued the architectural structure of the 6th China International Import Expo pavilion, reusing the environmental paper and white gauze from that event to recreate a flower-like structure.
The pavilion was divided into a corporate culture exhibition area, a technology innovation display area, and a sustainable development display area. For the first time, a “Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Prevention Campaign” display wall was set up, showcasing the group’s 30 years of contributions to breast cancer prevention advocacy, research support, and patient care.
The 15 iconic brands present included Aveda, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Clinique, Darphin Paris, Dr.Jart+, Estée Lauder, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, Jo Malone London, KILIAN PARIS, La Mer, Lab Series, Le Labo, M·A·C, Origins, and TOM FORD. Le Labo made its debut at the Expo.
International perfume and beauty giant Coty also set up a corporate culture exhibition area in the pavilion. This time, Coty, with its “Futuristic Magic Garden II” theme, participated in the Expo for the third time, featuring brands such as Chloé, Hugo Boss, and Lancaster among its eight major brands.
Foreign Liquor Groups Bring Rare Creations
In the high-end food and health products exhibition area, Pernod Ricard Group, Edrington Group, Glenfarclas Group, and other liquor companies made their appearances.
This year marked Pernod Ricard‘s fourth participation in the Expo, bringing over 60 products spanning cognac, whisky, and wine. Notably, the group launched iconic products crafted by local Chinese distilleries: Diechuan Pure Malt Whisky and Helan Mountain Xiao Feng Wine. Martell‘s Single Estate Collection “Collector’s” Cognac also made its grand debut.
The UK’s Edrington Group brought The Macallan and Highland Park to the Expo. The Macallan launched the second volume of its Legend Series in China, featuring liquor distilled in 1949 and bottled in 2022 to celebrate the brand’s 200th anniversary. The exhibition hall design also centered around the 200-year anniversary, with a nostalgic color scheme, introduction to the brand founder’s legendary life, and classic Sherry Cask series among other products, all emphasizing the brand’s history and heritage.
Highland Park introduced its oldest whisky, Highland Park 54 Year Old, at the Expo for the first time. The booth’s creative space design also told the poetic story of Scotland’s northernmost Orkney Islands, the brand’s origin, bringing the landscape to the audience.
| Source: Expo’s official website, official public account, and official accounts of various brands
| Image Credit: Expo’s official website, official public account, and official accounts of various brands
丨Reporter：Huang Yuting
| Editor: LeZhi
