Tobias

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) is launching a 2025 product quality supervision campaign, inspecting 164 product categories across manufacturing, distribution, and online platforms. The initiative emphasizes consumer safety, especially for children’s products and items like power banks and e-bikes, with a 70% increase in live streaming platform inspections. The campaign follows a power bank recall prompted by safety concerns and focuses on emerging sectors. Results will be publicly disclosed.

In a recent livestream, Gan Wei, ex-wife of Jia Yueting, discussed their post-divorce relationship. Despite their split in May 2025, she remains connected to his family and plans to visit him in the U.S. with their children. Gan Wei denied the divorce was for asset protection, citing lack of emotional support and a “widowed” marriage as reasons for the separation. She also shared a story of being ignored on her birthday.

Anker Innovations is recalling several power bank models (A1642, A1647, A1652, A1680, A1681, A1689, A1257) due to a potential fire hazard. Inspections revealed unauthorized material alterations in battery cells from an external vendor, potentially leading to overheating and combustion. The company has removed affected products from e-commerce platforms and ended its relationship with the supplier. This recall highlights the importance of product safety for the popular brand with a global presence.

JD.com is aggressively entering the travel market. Offering hotels a commission-free program for up to three years has already attracted nearly 50,000 applications. Leveraging its vast user base and lifestyle market leadership, JD.com aims to capitalize on peak travel season. This move follows a successful foray into food delivery using subsidies. However, facing giants like Meituan and Ctrip, the travel sector presents a distinct, more competitive challenge.

Romoss Technology, a leading power bank maker, faces challenges. Numerous 3C certifications for its fast-charging power banks are suspended, with the official Douyin store removing power banks. A recall of over 490,000 power banks is underway due to potential overheating issues, leading to consumer concerns. The recall process, involving potentially problematic postal returns, has also raised further questions.

Former Ele.me CEO and logistics head Han Liu has been taken into custody. An internal investigation revealed “job-related crimes,” prompting Ele.me to report to law enforcement. Han Liu, who previously held positions at JD.com and Alibaba, became CEO in March 2024 and oversaw instant delivery before the incident in June 2025 at the Shanghai office. The company emphasizes adhering to its code of conduct.

The refrigerator market is undergoing a consumer-driven transformation, moving from functionality to aesthetics. A leading brand achieved remarkable success with its “Mai Lang” refrigerator by embracing a “co-creation” approach. This model, featuring a warm color palette and slim design tailored to consumer preferences, quickly became the premium segment leader. The company continually incorporates feedback, with a new iteration promising extended freshness. This success validates the co-creation strategy as the future of the appliance industry.

Facing extreme heat, Chinese shopping malls are using giant digital displays to offer a virtual cooling experience. These screens feature animated fans and breezy visuals to create a sense of relief, attracting customers with visual illusions. This innovative marketing strategy aims to boost foot traffic and offers a moment of psychological comfort, generating varied reactions online, from amusement to skepticism.

The extended “618” shopping festival saw a surge in consumers utilizing interest-free installment plans, reflecting a trend toward “efficient” spending. A 19% YoY increase in installment plan use was observed, fueled by government subsidies and merchant offerings. Longer-term plans saw higher adoption. This trend extends across various product categories, including electric vehicles, leading to sales growth. Regionally, financially aware areas like Guangdong and Zhejiang led in installment plan usage, with varying product preferences by region. This strategy benefits both consumers and merchants, boosting sales and market activity.

A public dispute has emerged between an Xpeng executive and a tech company concerning the durability of its smart glasses. The Xpeng executive corroborated user complaints on social media about audio distortion and repeated malfunctions, criticizing after-sales service. The glasses, launched in September 2023, aim for daily integration with features like notifications, but face scrutiny over their build quality.