China's Camping Boom Drove +708% Growth in Camp Wagons in 2022

Executive Summary#

Online sales of outdoor camp wagons in China grew 708.2% YoY in 2022, as camping moved from a niche hobby into a mainstream leisure pursuit. The shift had the backing of a government plan that targets CN¥ 3 trillion in industry scale by 2025. Similar wellness trends drove premiumization in the pet economy, in the mother and baby sector and in functional food. This analysis examines how pandemic restrictions on long-distance travel accelerated changes in consumer behavior in outdoor recreation, pet care and child nutrition.

Glamping Transformed China's Outdoor Market#

The year 2020 is regarded as China's "Year One" for glamping, and by 2022 the trend had become a mainstream leisure pursuit. With indoor venues and long-distance travel restricted during the pandemic, consumers took up outdoor camping as a way to spend time in nature and to relieve the psychological pressure of long periods at home. An activity that had belonged to experienced hikers quickly became a form of emotional consumption centred on relaxation, social gatherings and time outdoors.

This change moved demand away from professional outdoor equipment and toward comfort-focused glamping gear, as consumers gave more weight to ambiance and comfort than to technical performance. Camping became an aspirational lifestyle activity that spread through widely shared content on major Chinese social media platforms.

Camping-related categories grew strongly:

• Outdoor camp wagons: +708.2% YoY, driven by large capacity, easy transport, and versatility as both storage and makeshift table surfaces
• Outdoor tables: +218.2% YoY, reflecting the shift toward comfortable outdoor dining and socializing setups
• Hiking tents: +104.8% YoY, as camping participation expanded from enthusiasts to mainstream consumers
• Sun protection accessories and canopy tarps also posted strong growth as comfort-oriented camping accessories

Government Policy Supports the Growth#

In October 2022, the General Administration of Sport and eight other government departments issued the "Outdoor Sports Industry Development Plan (2022-2025)" ^[1], which targets more than CN¥ 3 trillion in total industry scale by 2025. We believe this policy support provides a basis for continued investment in infrastructure and indicates that the sector's growth rests on more than pandemic-era demand.

The outdoor industry is also diversifying beyond traditional camping, as camping is increasingly combined with scenic areas, rural tourism, sports and education, which creates new business models and widens the market. The move from professional equipment toward glamping and casual leisure opens opportunities for brands at every price point, from premium comfort-focused products to accessible entry-level gear.

The Pet Economy Grew Against the Trend#

Pet supplies grew 1.6% YoY in 2022 ^[2] and was one of the few of the 20 largest categories in the data to grow, in a year when most large categories came under pressure. We believe the sector's resilience reflects rising pet ownership, the tendency to treat pets as family members and a growing willingness to spend on pet health and wellness.

The fastest-growing concepts in the pet sector reflect the same health consciousness and premiumization that are reshaping consumption by people:

• Probiotic pet food: Products are marketed for intestinal flora balance, digestive health, immune function, and coat condition. Consumer familiarity with human probiotics creates a natural extension into pet nutrition
• Attractant-free cat treat sticks: The clean-label movement's expansion into pet food, with zero-additive formulations commanding significantly higher price points than conventional alternatives
• Pet lecithin capsules: Targeting coat and skin condition improvement, positioned alongside fish oil, multivitamins, and joint support in a growing range of pet wellness products

China's market for attractant-free cat treats is more mature than overseas markets, and the concept is widely used both in brand marketing and in consumers' purchase decisions. Pet owners increasingly choose products for functional health benefits such as gut health, coat condition and immune support, which mirrors the ingredient-led purchasing seen in health food for people.

Mother and Baby: Per-Child Spending Rose Despite Declining Births#

The mother and baby sector shows how premiumization can offset lower volumes. Although China's declining birth rate is putting downward pressure on the overall size of the market, per-child spending continued to increase as parents spent more on higher-quality nutrition, personal care and developmental products for fewer children.

The fastest-growing concepts addressed specific parental concerns:

• Complementary food nutrition packs: Rice-flour-based products containing multiple vitamins and minerals for infants aged 6 to 36 months, addressing micronutrient gaps during the critical transition from breast milk to solid foods
• Swivel-buckle kids' shoes: A practical innovation solving the daily frustration of putting shoes on young children, which shows how products that address a specific pain point can grow quickly even in mature categories
• Children's oral spray: Products targeting tooth erosion and cavities from inconsistent brushing habits, offering parents a supplementary oral hygiene tool
• Children's amino acid personal care: Premium bathing products utilizing gentle amino acid-based surfactants with a pH closer to the natural skin barrier, suitable for sensitive children's skin

The premium positioning of these products is supported by parents' willingness to pay more for safety, gentleness and functional innovation. Consumer complaints are relatively minor and concern mainly fragrance and the volume of product for the price, while overall satisfaction remains high.

Youth Wellness Created New Functional Food Categories#

"Youth wellness" turned from an internet joke into genuine market demand in 2022, and superfood powders gained momentum in health and beauty communities on social media as young consumers began to supplement their daily nutrition in convenient formats. Since many superfoods are difficult to buy fresh and to store, powders offer practical advantages, including a longer shelf life, more ways to prepare them and a higher concentration of nutrients.

Innovation in food and beverage clustered around three consumer priorities:

• Low-calorie snacking: Konjac jelly kept growing strongly while the wider jelly and pudding category came under pressure, helped by its low-fat, high-fiber formulations
• Functional ingredients: Products featuring specific health claims around gut health, immunity, and skin benefits commanded premium pricing
• Meal replacement evolution: Fat-replacement rice noodles and superfood powders offered convenient, nutritious alternatives for health-conscious consumers

The combination of traditional Chinese wellness culture with modern convenience formats creates a distinctive market opportunity. The concept of food-medicine homology has deep roots in traditional Chinese medicine, and its fit with current health trends gives Chinese brands a cultural advantage in developing functional food products that appeal to domestic consumers.

Lifestyle Shifts Extended Beyond the Pandemic#

The changes in outdoor recreation, pet care, mother and baby and functional food have one thing in common, which is that pandemic restrictions accelerated their adoption while the consumer motivations behind them are likely to last. We believe health consciousness, premiumization and the wish for a better quality of life are long-term trends that existed before the pandemic and will continue after it.

For brands, the main implication is that these categories reward investment in real product innovation and clear functional differentiation. The products that grew in all four sectors met specific, identifiable consumer needs, and we believe this supports the broader move in China's consumer market from growth bought with traffic to growth built on the strength of the product.

Key Takeaways#

• Online sales of outdoor camp wagons grew 708.2% YoY as glamping became a mainstream leisure activity in China
• Government policy targets CN¥ 3 trillion in outdoor sports industry scale by 2025, which supports long-term growth
• Pet supplies grew 1.6% YoY, one of the few of the 20 largest categories to grow, driven by premiumization and health-first pet nutrition
• Spending per child on mother and baby products increased despite declining birth rates, which favors premium, functionally differentiated products
• Youth wellness and superfood powders gained genuine market traction, turning social media trends into sustained consumer demand

About the Data#

This analysis draws on Moojing Market Intelligence data for two leading Chinese marketplaces, covering January to November 2022. For full methodology and additional insights, see the complete H2 2022 Consumer Trends whitepaper.