UpperHills to host SZ downtown duty-free shop

Shenzhen’s first downtown duty-free store will open at the UpperHills shopping mall in Futian District, according toDaily Sunshine.

The announcement was made at a pressconference organized by the Shum Yip Group, which will collaborate with theChina Duty Free Group and the Shenzhen Duty Free Group to launch the store bythe end of this year.

A press conference held Monday reveals that Shenzhen’s first downtown duty-free store will open at the UpperHills shopping mall in Futian District. Photo from Daily Sunshine

In August 2024, a joint statement issued bythe Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Culture andTourism, the General Administration of Customs, and the State Taxation Administration revealed that eight cities — Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Tianjin,Wuhan, Xi’an, Changsha, and Fuzhou — will open a duty-free store in theirdowntown areas.

According to the statement, these duty-freestores will be available to both domestic and international travelers departingthe country by air or sea within 60 days. Travelers can make purchases at thesestores and collect their items at their port of departure.

Shoppers at UpperHills during the National Day holiday in 2024. Photo by Pan Kang

These stores will primarily offer consumergoods that are easy to carry, such as food, clothing, bags, shoes, jewelry, crafts, electronics, perfumes, cosmetics, and liquor. Thestatement also encourages the sale of goods from domestic brands that showcasetraditional Chinese culture.