Shanghai in East China launched a major shopping month sales promotion on March 1, which is expected to provide a real boost to the regional retail market.

As consumers become ever more sophisticated and demanding in their tastes, the event – formally called the National Consumption Promotion Month (Spring) Shanghai – is focusing on household appliances, home furnishings, automobiles, lifestyle services and other key areas of retailing.

In celebration of International Women's Day on March 8, the event is also including a series of promotional activities with various discounts and offers in clothing, cosmetics, beauty salons, gold and silver jewelry and fitness.

The Shanghai Consumer Market Big Data Blue Book was released at the launch ceremony and according to the latest data, last year total retail sales in Shanghai topped 1.8 trillion yuan ($284.88 billion), up 13.5 percent year-on-year.

Clothing, shoes and hats, cars, cosmetics, jewelry, household appliances, home furnishings and other home and woman-related spending accounted for nearly 40 percent of the city's on-site retail sales in 2021.