Shanghai’s Strange Phenomena Continue: Six More Unusual Trends

Under the bustling night scene, Shanghai is no longer what it used to be! (Video Screenshot)

[People News Report] Since the beginning of this year, Shanghai has repeatedly shown unusual phenomena, often resonating on social media. Recently, six new unusual trends in Shanghai have once again circulated on social media.

Six New Unusual Trends in Shanghai

The six unusual trends emerging in Shanghai include:

First, most physical stores are seeing declining business. In many malls, there are more staff than customers, and it's common to see sales staff livestreaming sales inside stores.

Second, many office buildings and office parks are now vacant. If you’re willing to rent, you might get a few months of free rent, only needing to pay for property fees and utilities.

Third, the number of food delivery riders, couriers, and rideshare drivers continues to increase, but their income is steadily decreasing. What’s more surprising is that these jobs sometimes require waiting in line to apply.

Fourth, many landlords report that it’s hard to rent out properties. If they don’t proactively reduce rent, there’s little interest from potential renters.

Fifth, despite the government injecting significant “liquidity” to encourage people to consume and invest, most citizens are not spending but instead are rushing to save money in banks.

Sixth, many business owners are no longer taking loans to expand operations. Instead, they’re moving funds between banks, aiming to replace high-interest loans with lower-interest ones to cut costs.

Ten Strange Phenomena Now Evident in Shanghai

In the past, Shanghai was the economic center of the country, contributing a third of China’s income, a source of pride for both Shanghai residents and people nationwide.

Since 2024, many people on social media have expressed that “Shanghai’s economic strength has gradually weakened, the manufacturing industry has almost been emptied, many people have left Shanghai, and the economy is sluggish. Today’s Shanghai is no longer the Shanghai of the past. At least ten strange phenomena have emerged, trends that were previously non-existent.”

In March this year, Duan Yuwen, a financial writer who has lived in Shanghai for over ten years, shared a video on his Weibo and WeChat accounts, under the name “Prince Duan on the Go,” listing ten strange trends in Shanghai this year. However, the Weibo account “Prince Duan on the Go” was soon banned.

First, white-collar workers have started bringing lunch. Duan noted that his company’s building had a Japanese restaurant downstairs that used to sell set meals for forty to fifty yuan (RMB) at lunchtime. This year, sales plummeted, and the restaurant closed. Many people bring bags to work, and when asked, they’re carrying lunch, heating it in the microwave at the office.

Second, no one in group chats is discussing job-hopping anymore. In past group chats with friends or colleagues, people often discussed job changes, pay raises, or finding new positions. This year, he hasn’t seen a single message about it. Instead, he often hears people say, “Don’t invite me to any events this year,” or “I’m working overtime to keep my job.”

Third, the second-hand housing market has stalled. In February of this year, only 6,800 second-hand homes were sold in Shanghai, with an average transaction price of 38,633 yuan per square meter, a 9% drop from the previous month.

Fourth, even malls in downtown Shanghai have closed. For example, in Xujiahui, a core business district, the Pacific Department Store, which opened 30 years ago and was one of the few high-end malls in Shanghai, has shut down.

Fifth, office space rent is practically free. A friend in the rental business told him that in many parks, as long as you pay property and utility fees, the office rent is almost free. This trend isn’t unique to Shanghai; Beijing’s commercial office market is also seeing similar conditions.

Sixth, it’s very easy to get a ride, even a luxury car. Even during rush hours, booking a ride happens instantly. In the past, this was unimaginable—you often had to book and wait. Now, it’s quick, and luxury cars are often available at discounted rates.

Seventh, food deliveries are extremely fast. He believes there could be two reasons for this: either fewer people are ordering, reducing the workload, or there are too many delivery riders—many people are taking up delivery work temporarily due to unemployment, making even peak times fast for deliveries.

Eighth, the number of loan calls he receives daily has surged. Last year, he received one or two loan calls daily; after the new year, that number has at least quadrupled, now receiving eight to nine calls daily.

Ninth, almost no one is discussing overseas travel anymore.

Tenth, there are significantly fewer foreigners. In the past, foreigners were everywhere in Shanghai. At its peak, Shanghai hosted over a million foreigners. Now, even on the Bund or the pedestrian streets, foreigners are rare. Two reasons explain this: the 2022 lockdowns alienated many foreigners, and foreign investment has decreased, prompting many foreigners to leave.

Shanghai has been an international metropolis since the 1990s, attracting an increasing number of foreigners with the influx of foreign capital into China.

Now, even on Nanjing Road, there are few foreigners, especially white people, though the number of Black people seems to have increased compared to before.

These various strange phenomena reflect the current social reality of Shanghai.

(Dajiyuan Reporter Fang Xiao)