December 2024 Whitepaper: China's Household Paper Market

Key Finding 1

China's online household paper products market continues to expand through volume-driven growth despite declining prices, with Jan-Oct 2024 sales demonstrating resilient consumer demand across the marketplaces covered.

The household paper products market is undergoing a structural shift where price competition coexists with premiumization in high-growth segments. Facial tissue remains the dominant category at CN¥ 20.35 billion in Jan-Oct 2024 sales (+16.0% YoY), commanding 47% of the overall market. Sales continue to spread more evenly across the marketplaces covered. This platform diversification is creating new entry points for both established and emerging brands.

Key Finding 2

Moisturizing tissue emerges as the fastest-growing premium segment, reaching CN¥ 1.95 billion in Jan-Oct 2024 (+24.5% YoY), with sales concentrated among established brands while challenger brands compete through ingredient innovation.

The moisturizing tissue segment exemplifies the broader consumer upgrade trend in Chinese household paper products. High concentration in the segment reflects strong brand loyalty, while challenger brands such as Zhihu (植护) and Bubandi (布班迪) compete through ingredient innovation, content-led commerce and competitive pricing, suggesting the market is far from saturated.

Key Finding 3

Celebrity endorsements and KOC-driven social commerce are reshaping brand positioning in the moisturizing tissue market, with COROU's Liu Shishi partnership and Tempo's Wang Yibo campaign as examples of brand-building investment.

The convergence of social media marketing and e-commerce is creating a new competitive playbook for household paper brands. COROU's October 2024 announcement of Liu Shishi as brand ambassador drove a surge in social media discussion within a single month, while Tempo's Wang Yibo partnership in May 2024 drove similarly dramatic engagement surges. These investments reflect a market where consumer attention, rather than distribution alone, determines growth trajectory. Brands that combine ingredient innovation with emotionally resonant marketing are capturing disproportionate market share.