Local residents are more satisfied with Zhuhai than Macao when it comes to eating out, according to the results of a new Macao consumer satisfaction index survey that was published yesterday by the Macau University of Science and Technology.
The study, which surveyed 919 local residents between March and April, found that the consumer satisfaction index for the Macao’s food and beverage offerings totalled 71.2 points out of 100. Zhuhai outperformed Macao, however, scoring 75.4 points.
Macao was able to hold its own in the category of clothes shopping, scoring 75.4 points, but Zhuhai wasn’t far behind, notching up 74.2 points.
During a press conference for the survey, which was reported on by TDM, researchers said that the weakness of the yuan in relation to the Hong Kong dollar (which circulates freely in Macao), as well as improved transport links, and the diversity of goods and dining experiences on offer in Zhuhai, were all in the mainland city’s favour.
[See more: Here are 10 of the best things to do in Zhuhai]
Macao businesses, particularly those outside of the city’s tourist areas, have been struggling in recent times as more locals opt to spend their earnings in mainland China.
Easier vehicle registration has also made it easier for Macao residents to drive to Zhuhai and further afield.
Macao’s neighbouring SAR, Hong Kong, has also seen an exodus of shoppers heading north, with official data indicating that the city’s April retail figures fell by almost 15 percent year-on-year. The chairperson of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, Annie Yau Tse, pointed out on Wednesday that local retailers were “in deep water.”
Hong Kong’s secretary for commerce and economic development, Algernon Yau, admitted at a summit yesterday that local retailers have been struggling and needed to respond to the changing needs of consumers.
