In 2021, State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and Standardization Administration of China (SAC) put in place the requirements of improving the standards on expanding domestic demand in the National Standardization Development Outline. 

 

They continuously raised the standards and quality of consumer products, enhanced the leading role of standards, and drove the rapid and healthy development of new products, business forms and models, making consumers enjoy better consumption.

 

 

In 2021, more national standards on green exhibition stands and green catering were developed on the basis of the further implementation of national standards on green product assessment of household appliances such as refrigerator, air conditioner and washing machine. By far, 19 national standards on green product assessment have been released, which put forward specific requirements on the attributes of resource, energy, environment and quality of green products.

 

In the area of service industry, standards on green logistics, convention & exhibition, packaging and shopping mall have been released successively. Starting with key products, areas and links, the standards system covering all areas and the full chain of consumption has been built, helping people pursue eco-friendly lifestyle and green consumption in a standardized way.

 

 

To adapt to the trend of the deep integration of new technologies including artificial intelligence and robot with consumer products, SAMR and SAC have accelerated the development of a batch of new standards on intelligent air conditioner, elder-oriented household appliance, household robot and service robot to help improve people’s life with new products.

 

These standards not only specify the quality and safety requirements for intelligent products from various perspectives such as electrical safety, mechanical safety, reliability, performance and personal information protection, but also give a scientific definition of intelligence, which prove that standards play a leading role in the healthy and orderly industrial development.

 

 

The revised national standards for a batch of common consumer products have been released, which cover plug and socket, down wear, electric kettle, bedding and primary battery. On the one hand, they put forward higher requirements for product quality and safety, improving the quality and efficiency of industries with product upgrading. On the other hand, they tease out the clauses and specific requirements in standards, and enrich the categories of consumer products, so as to optimize the experience of consumers and boost their confidence on consumption. 

 

In 2021, eight measures were put forward in the guidelines on promoting conservation and combating waste in catering with standardization, which was jointly released by SAMR, Ministry of Commerce, and Ministry of Culture and Tourism. And three national standards on catering industry supply chain management and information description of takeaway food define the requirements on the supply chain management of the whole process including material purchase, processing and production, logistics and sales, and help consumers order reasonably, consume clearly and avoid waste.  

 

 

With the further implementation of the enterprise standards forerunner system in China, more than 1,300 standards from over 800 enterprises in 202 key fields were included in the list of forerunners, in which consumer products account for a high proportion. The comparison results of standards, product indicators and forerunner indicators can be assessed on the digital platform or by scanning the QR code on products, which facilitated the selection and consumption of consumers. 

 

The special action on standards comparison and compliance of enterprise standards has been further advanced, guiding 42,000 enterprises across the country to release more than 97,000 items of comparison results about 1,379 product and service categories such as clothes, low-voltage switchgear and furniture. It has stimulated enterprises to make innovation, lead the industrial development, and drive the upgrading of products and services, providing better products to consumers.