China's vendors turn to car boot sales in Beijing as Covid-hit economy stalls

Judging by the crowd size, such car boot fairs are making a huge comeback in China’s capital city and they are not letting up any time soon. What was once restricted in Beijing is now one of the most popular activities among residents to enjoy on a weekend and small business owners are cashing in on the demand.

Local Beijing native Cong Junshen, who used to run a club before it closed due to Covid-19, was staunchly supportive of car boot sales.

"I had a start-up business that failed. Some have been laid off because of the epidemic, and some are just unemployed. So I wish this can give people hope and opportunities to carry on, I wish to support them wholeheartedly," Cong told Reuters while sitting near his car boot, which has been converted to a cocktail booth.

Once considered as 'low-status', peddling wares on the street has made a comeback as people who lost their jobs or closed down their businesses seek new ways to make a living and work around China's relentless anti-Covid policies. These so-called car boot sales were now the epitome of casual employment within an informal economy as the Beijing municipal government relaxed restrictions.

"It has brought a lot of good things. Firstly, I think the popularity of the night market economy does reflect how well the general economy is doing. People are more willing to come outdoors and go shopping, which I think is a good sign. Secondly, in regards to the income, to be honest, I don't really earn much from selling trinkets like these. If I depend solely on selling these as a source of income, it may not be very realistic. Nevertheless, I can make a lot of very interesting friends here," jewellery designer Scarlet Wang said.

Fellow vendor Xu Wenjie agrees selling his wares at car boot sales serves multiple purposes.

"I closed down my brick-and-mortar shop, not because of Covid-19 and hence I had a lot of surplus goods stocked in my own home. Also, because of the economic recovery now, everyone is coming out to set up shop in these markets as a business. There are many potential customers here, so it’s also a good way to increase your income," he said.

Even so, the Beijing government has a challenging job drawing a fine balance between Covid management and boosting the economy, organiser of a car boot fair Qiao Yi said.

"They’re putting in a lot of effort because on the one hand, they have to deal with epidemic prevention and control, and at the same time, they also need to support the resumption of production and work," he said.