Summer sparks nighttime sports, fitness trend

The most popular areas for riding bicycles at night in Guangzhou are Beijing Road and the Zhujiang New Town along the Pearl River, which runs from the west to the east of the city.

Increased demand for sports and fitness activities during summer has also driven growth in sports-related equipment.

At an outlet of French sporting goods retailer Decathlon in Guangzhou, a local resident surnamed Chen, along with his 15-year-old son, were seen selecting outdoor clothing.

"We are going to buy quick-drying clothes and some outdoor sunscreen products," Chen said.

According to Peng Jing, head of Decathlon public affairs in Guangzhou, sales of outdoor mountaineering equipment across its 13 outlets in the city have increased by nearly 20 percent year-on-year in the first seven months of 2023.

"Hiking backpacks and sticks, sunscreen and fast-drying clothes, swimsuits and goggles and snorkeling masks have become the most popular sales categories as consumers tend to choose outdoor mountaineering and hiking as well as water sports," said Peng.

Sales of intelligent sports equipment have also increased since the beginning of 2023.

"Sales have met our expectations in the first half," said Wu Muhong, chief marketing officer of Yunmai Technology Co Ltd, a Zhuhai, Guangdong-based technology and innovation company that provides intelligent sports and health solutions. The company also focuses on research and development of intelligent facilities in the field of sports and health.

According to Wu, the company's intelligent massage fascia gun MIX and its body fat scale were ranked first in sales within specific categories during the 618 online shopping festival on Tmall, a Chinese online shopping platform.