On December 21st, the winter solstice, many citizens headed to the market early in the morning to purchase ingredients, preparing to reunite with their families in the evening. A reporter visited the street market on North Street in Sham Shui Po to understand the festive market situation. Several stall owners and citizens mentioned that overall foot traffic and the festive atmosphere were less vibrant compared to previous years, with some stalls experiencing more pronounced sales declines. One stall selling live chickens sold out early, while another stall owner indicated a drop in business of three to four percent compared to last year.
Jiaji, the organic live chicken stall owner, stated that sales were noticeably slower this winter solstice, with a reduction of around three to four percent compared to the previous year. Foot traffic was also more than half from the previous day. Many citizens had already bought live chickens on the day before, mainly for offerings, and coupled with poor market conditions, it affected overall consumer desire.
Jiaji mentioned that there were no price increases for the festive season this year, with live chicken prices ranging from 160 to 200 Hong Kong dollars, lower than the previous year. However, nearby stalls were offering lower prices, attracting on-the-spot customers. He also noted that in recent years, the tradition of offering live chickens for prayers has been declining, with the younger generation purchasing fewer chickens for traditional festivals, resulting in a weakening festive atmosphere since Mid-Autumn Festival.
However, Miss Ming, who also sells live chickens, reported ideal sales for the day. She had prepared 400 live chickens, all of which were sold out before noon, around 100 more than last year. The price of live chickens for the winter solstice was increased by about 30 Hong Kong dollars, which was considered a normal adjustment for the festive season. Customers readily accepted the price increase, allowing them to purchase early and go home to celebrate.
Ms. Zhou, a citizen, mentioned that for the winter solstice, she would traditionally celebrate at home, preparing fresh chicken, barbecue meat, vegetables, and fruits for a family of seven, totaling over 1,000 Hong Kong dollars. She pointed out that due to the economic environment, daily expenses are normally saved, but for festive seasons, they would indulge a bit more. She believed that the recent fire incident at the Hong Fuk Yuen in Tai Po has subdued the festive atmosphere compared to previous years, resulting in a decreased flow of people at the market.
Ling, the stall owner of a vegetable stall operating in the North Street market for nearly 30 years, expressed that the business environment in the market has deteriorated over the years, with no significant increase in foot traffic during the festive season. She attributed this to the increasing number of shops nearby, as well as local citizens going to mainland China to buy groceries and daily necessities, putting pressure on local market businesses, leading to slower product sales this winter solstice.
For seafood stall owner Guo Tai, he mentioned that this year, citizens are more cautious in their spending, with amounts decreasing compared to previous years from around 1,000 Hong Kong dollars per festive season to 600 to 800 Hong Kong dollars. High-priced seafood such as grouper and lobster saw reduced sales, with Australian lobsters fetching prices of several hundred Hong Kong dollars per pound, making it less affordable for everyone, resulting in lower stockpiles compared to previous years.
Mrs. Chen, a homemaker accompanied by her two young children for grocery shopping, stated that their family of four would have a hot pot at home for the winter solstice, with a budget of around 800 Hong Kong dollars, slightly higher than usual. She noted that the prices of market ingredients had only increased by 5 to 10 Hong Kong dollars compared to regular days, which was not significant, but due to the economic downturn, they would pay more attention to prices when making purchases. She also mentioned that in recent years, many citizens traveled to Shenzhen for holidays, but due to the inconvenience of bringing children along and the crowded public transport, she chose to celebrate the festive season in Hong Kong. Moreover, after marriage, she hoped to let her children experience the traditional festive atmosphere, so they would still celebrate the winter solstice simply.