China Unveils 20 Measures to Upgrade Consumer Goods Standards

The Ministry of Commerce and six other departments jointly issued an implementation opinion on promoting the expansion and upgrading of goods consumption, listing "improving the consumer goods standards system" as one of 20 measures. The opinion proposes breaking down technical barriers through institutional supply, strengthening quality support and standards leadership, and clearing obstacles for new forms of consumption. It also specifies shortening the revision cycles of key standards and establishing a rapid-response mechanism.

Household consumption demand is shifting from "whether one has something" to "whether it is good," and the consumer market is moving from total expansion to structural optimization, with green, smart and health-related consumption developing faster. Fragmented smart home systems have led to a disjointed experience, the lack of unified rules for artificial intelligence terminals has raised security concerns, and lagging standards in emerging areas such as designer toy derivatives are constraining market expansion. The opinion calls for promoting the alignment of product standards and certification between domestic and foreign trade.