China Moves to Shore Up Struggling Brick-and-Mortar Retailers

China has unveiled 20 measures to support its struggling brick-and-mortar retail sector, urging stores to overhaul business models, expand private-label offerings and push back against unfair competition from e-commerce platforms.

The guidelines, issued Thursday by the Ministry of Commerce and eight other government agencies, underscore Beijing’s effort to revive physical retail as stores face weak consumer demand, intense online competition and shifting shopping habits. The plan aims to build a modern, smart and competitive retail system by 2030.