This report visually explores everyday habits and behaviours which reflect consumers' beliefs and values, linking behavioural trends with purchase and consumption habits. 

Hong Kong has significantly raised tobacco taxes in recent years, with an increase in 2023 followed by another hike in 2024. These tax adjustments are part of a deliberate strategy to make cigarettes less affordable and discourage smoking. By directly impacting the retail price, the government aims to reduce consumption through economic pressure - a method widely endorsed by global health authorities. The substantial tax hikes have demonstrably led to a reduction in overall cigarette consumption

Retail volume sales of tobacco in Hong Kong continued to decline in 2024. Hong Kong is taking significant steps towards stringent tobacco control to reduce the smoking rate, and the government is committed to tobacco control, aiming for a smoke-free environment. The new strategy includes short-, medium-, and long-term measures, such as banning alternative smoking products, prohibiting smoking in queues, and expanding no-smoking areas with a phased approach to manage public acceptance. The fine f

Overall category volume sales for cigars, cigarillos and smoking tobacco declined in Hong Kong in 2024. The general economic downturn naturally impacts discretionary spending, including luxury items like cigars. Cigarillos, meanwhile, are gaining ground within Hong Kong’s convenience stores.

In 2022, Hong Kong implemented a comprehensive ban on alternative smoking products (ASPs), encompassing reduced-harm and e-vapor products. From 30 April 2022, no person may import, promote, manufacture, sell, or possess for commercial purposes alternative smoking products, including electronic smoking products (electronic vaporisers), heated tobacco products and herbal cigarettes. This prohibition, which remains in effect, has effectively eliminated market sales for smokeless tobacco, e-vapor pr

Spectacles in Hong Kong confronted significant headwinds in 2024, mirroring the broader retail downturn as local consumption continues shifting northbound, and sales in 2025 continue to fall in both volume and value terms throughout the entire category. With more Hong Kong residents opting to purchase eyewear in mainland China - particularly in Greater Bay Area cities like Shenzhen - local optical retailers are experiencing declining foot traffic and sales. This trend has been exacerbated by agg

Eyewear in Hong Kong continues to face challenges in 2025 due to sluggish tourism recovery and changing local consumption habits. Mainland China contributed to 68% of Hong Kong’s inbound tourism volume before COVID-19 in 2019, according to Euromonitor’s Travel system. The slow return of mainland Chinese tourists, a critical driver of luxury and mid-range eyewear sales, has left a significant gap in demand, with spending levels still below pre-pandemic benchmarks. On top of sluggish tourist consu

Contact lenses and solutions in Hong Kong continues to demonstrate relatively stable performance in 2025, primarily driven by habitual purchases from regular users. Unlike fashion-driven eyewear such as some brands of spectacles, demand for contact lenses remains consistent as consumers replenish their supply for daily use. The category has also proven comparatively resilient to the trend of northbound consumption - whereby locals shop in mainland China for better prices - since contact lenses a

Sunglasses in Hong Kong is facing continued headwinds in 2025, constrained by structural issues in the local retail sector, sluggish tourism recovery and shifting consumption patterns. Despite growing awareness of UV protection and eye health, sunglasses remain a discretionary purchase with inherently slow replacement cycles, as consumers often retain them for years unless style preferences change or frames deteriorate.

Consumer Lifestyles provides valuable insights into the key attitudes and current perspectives of consumers, and how these influence their purchasing and consumption behaviours. It quantifies consumer behaviours, preferences, and motivations, aligning them with broader trends.

Current value sales of pet products in Hong Kong experienced growth in 2025, driven by an increasing demand for innovative and convenient solutions that cater to the needs of modern pet owners. As urban living becomes more prevalent and lifestyles busier, local consumers are seeking solutions that simplify pet care while ensuring their pets' well-being. The emphasis on pet well-being has prompted owners to invest in high-quality products that support their pets' physical and mental health. This

Sales of cat food in Hong Kong continued growing in 2025, reflecting the steady increase in the local cat population. This is in contrast to the local dog population, which has seen fluctuations. The primary reason for this trend is the relative ease of cat ownership compared to dogs. Cats typically require less time and fewer resources, making them an attractive option for busy city dwellers. These animals are also generally more independent, needing less daily interaction and exercise compared

Pet care sales in Hong Kong continued to grow in 2025, primarily driven by an increasing pet population, particularly cats. This upward trend was significantly influenced by the pet humanisation trend, which has reshaped consumer attitudes and behaviours across all categories of pet care.

Sales of dog food in Hong Kong have been steadily declining due to a continuous decrease in the dog population, which has directly reduced demand. As the number of dogs in the area diminishes, fewer pet owners are purchasing dog food, resulting in a noticeable downturn in sales in 2025.

As living spaces continue to shrink in Hong Kong, more residents have adopted indoor and balcony gardening to create personal green environments at home. Increased awareness of sustainability and eco-friendly lifestyles has also encouraged the use of organic gardening practices and plant care. Hong Kong’s recovering economy supported higher discretionary spending, allowing more consumers to invest in home improvement activities like gardening. Additionally, the rise of professional gardening ser

Home furnishings in Hong Kong witnessed value sales decline in 2024 amid economic challenges, evolving consumer preferences, structural shifts in the retail landscape, and market saturation. The prolonged downturn in overall retail activity was impacted by cautionary spending, amid rising living costs the strong local currency. Home furnishings is already mature in Hong Kong and there is limited demand for new purchases as most households have already acquired essential items. Many households ha

Home and garden in Hong Kong saw value sales decline in 2024 due to economic pressures, the weak housing market, and shifting retail dynamics. Consumers remained cautious in their spending behaviour amid rising living costs and subdued confidence, even as interest rates fell. Property affordability remained constrained, with Hong Kong continuing to rank among the most expensive housing markets globally. Despite government efforts to boost demand, such as relaxed mortgage rules and a 10% rental c

The decline in home improvement value sales in Hong Kong in 2024 was driven by a combination of economic challenges, a weak property market, and structural constraints within the industry. Elevated interest rates and tighter access to credit made it more difficult for homeowners to finance renovations, while falling home prices reduced both the incentive and capacity to invest in upgrades. A slowdown in property transactions and persistent vacancy rates further discouraged some refurbishments. C

Sales of other pet food in Hong Kong increased in 2025, primarily due to the stable populations of birds and small mammals/reptiles. This growth signifies a notable shift in pet ownership preferences, as more individuals and families are opting for these types of pets over traditional larger animals. One of the primary reasons for this trend is the lower level of responsibility required when caring for smaller pets. Unlike larger animals, which often demand significant time, space, and resources

Homewares in Hong Kong witnessed declining value sales over 2024, in line with the overall downturn in retail sales throughout the year. Changing consumption patterns among both tourists and local residents weighed on the retail sector. Mainland Chinese tourists, traditionally a major driver of retail sales, became more frugal, partly due to the strong Hong Kong dollar making shopping less attractive. Simultaneously, local residents increasingly opted to shop across the border in Shenzhen, seeki

Hair care in Hong Kong, driven by shampoos, the largest value category, continued to experience a strong performance in 2024, recording double-digit retail volume and value growth. Particularly strong performers during the year were salon professional hair care, as consumers looked to recreate professional results at home, and conditioners and treatments, in line with greater attention to self-care and nourishment of hair and scalp.

Post-pandemic demand for fragrances in Hong Kong, driven by the largest value category of premium women’s fragrances, continued to improve in 2024. The premium segment was also the most dynamic performer during the year, with premium fragrance sets/kits also recording notable growth, appealing to consumers either looking to treat themselves or as part of the gifting experience, especially for celebrations such as Christmas, Chinese New Year, and Valentine's Day.

Despite stagnating demand, value sales of men’s grooming in Hong Kong continued to rise in 2024. There has been a notable shift in local attitudes towards self-care, with the male demographic in Hong Kong increasingly embracing self-care practices, leading to improving demand for grooming products. These consumers increasingly recognise the importance of personal grooming for their overall wellbeing and confidence, leading to a greater acceptance and demand for associated products. The rise of s

The post-pandemic recovery of the tourism industry has played a crucial role in revitalising demand for many beauty products, particularly for skin care, including the largest category of facial care, and the dynamic skin care sets/kits, which are popular gift choices. As inbound tourists have made a notable return to Hong Kong, there has been increasing demand for skin care, helping to drive the category’s strong growth. In particular, this has had a positive impact on premium skin care brands,