Trade-in subsidies renewed for another year

As China extends its national subsidy program for consumer goods and equipment upgrades into a third consecutive year in 2026, Shenzhen has updated its local measures, offering subsidies for automobiles, six categories of home appliances, and four types of digital devices.

A sign indicating the trade-in program is seen at the entrance of a home appliances retailer. Photo from WeChat official account "罗湖发布"

Vehicle scrappage subsidies

Gasoline-powered passenger vehicles registered on or before June 30, 2013 are eligible. Diesel and other fuel-powered passenger vehicles must have been registered on or before June 30, 2015, while new energy passenger vehicles qualify if registered on or before Dec. 31, 2019.

Consumers who scrap old vehicles and purchase new energy vehicles (NEVs) included in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) eligible list can receive a subsidy equivalent to 12% of the new vehicle’s price, capped at 20,000 yuan (US$2,845). Those purchasing gasoline vehicles with engines of 2 liters or below are eligible for a subsidy of 10% of the new vehicle’s price, up to 15,000 yuan.

Applicants must have owned the old vehicle since Jan. 8, 2025. The new car must be purchased and registered in Guangdong.

Vehicle trade-in subsidies

Consumers who trade in old vehicles for new NEVs on the MIIT list can receive a subsidy of 8% of the new vehicle’s price, up to 15,000 yuan. For gasoline vehicles of 2.0 liters or less, the subsidy is 6% of the price, capped at 13,000 yuan.

The old vehicle must have been owned since Jan. 8, 2025. The new car must be purchased and registered in Guangdong.

Each consumer may claim either a scrappage subsidy or a trade-in subsidy for vehicles only once in 2026.

Household appliance subsidies

Purchases of refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, air conditioners, computers, and water heaters that meet national energy (water) efficiency standards qualify for a subsidy of 15% of the appliance’s price, up to 1,500 yuan.

Digital and smart device subsidies

Purchases of phones, tablets, smart watches or wristbands, and smart glasses priced at 6,000 yuan or less are eligible for a subsidy of 15% of the device price, with a maximum of 500 yuan. Each consumer can claim this subsidy only once.

Purchases made at brick-and-mortar stores can be submitted for subsidies via the China UnionPay app or the WeChat mini-program “深圳家电补贴.” Online purchases through dedicated pages on JD.com, Taobao, Douyin, Pinduoduo, Kuaishou, Meituan, and WeChat stores are eligible for discounted pricing.

Last year, China allocated a budget of 300 billion yuan for the trade-in subsidy program, distributed quarterly to ensure balanced fund use.

According to Ministry of Commerce data, the program helped drive sales exceeding 2.5 trillion yuan in the first 11 months of 2025, benefiting over 360 million people.

During the New Year holiday, Shenzhen recorded sales of 78,000 home appliances and digital devices, generating 240 million yuan in revenue, the Shenzhen Commerce Bureau reported.