Why have street stalls, which disappeared for years, returned?

Compiled from: Sina Finance, Tencent News
 
Recently, with the introduction of various local policies, a story about urban management officers calling vendors to set up stalls went viral online. According to reports, many small vendors in Ruichang City, Jiujiang, Jiangxi, received calls from urban management officers actively encouraging them to operate at designated locations. Many vendors were surprised by the calls, exclaiming, "Is there really such a good thing? I'll call others to come and set up stalls too."

 
This year, China has been severely impacted by the epidemic, and the economy has remained sluggish. Recently, the central government relaxed restrictions on the "street vendor economy," primarily to aid economic recovery after the pandemic. In fact, as early as the Two Sessions period, the central government repeatedly mentioned the "street vendor economy":

① On May 28, Premier Li Keqiang mentioned in a press conference with Chinese and foreign journalists, "In a city in the western region, 36,000 mobile vendor stalls were set up according to local regulations, and overnight, 100,000 people found employment."
 
② The Central Civilization Office has explicitly required in this year's evaluation indicators for national civilized cities that street vending, roadside markets, and mobile vendors should not be included in the assessment content for civilized city evaluations.
 
③ On the morning of June 1, Premier Li Keqiang stated during an inspection in Yantai, Shandong: The street-stall economy and small shop economy are important sources of employment, the vitality of everyday life, and, like high-end industries, are part of China's vitality.
 
 
Is the relaxation of the "street-stall economy" a step forward or backward for the times?
Even though the "street-stall economy" can promote economic development, drive employment, and alleviate market sluggishness after the pandemic, many people still express doubts. After years of effort, China has finally achieved some success in managing street stalls. Is this relaxation of the "street-stall economy" a repeat of past mistakes or a reform of the times?
 
1. "Stabilizing employment, ensuring people's livelihoods, and boosting consumption" are the main expected goals of social development this year.In this regard, the benefits of the "street-stall economy" are obvious: First, it allows people in difficulty to earn money and have food, giving them a chance to get through tough times. Second, the cost of setting up a street stall is low, so anyone can do it and earn money. Third, behind the lively atmosphere is popular support and thriving commerce, meaning that people's lives are more vibrant and prosperous.
 
Employment is fundamental to people's livelihoods. Only with employment can there be income, the creation of social wealth, the development of China's economy, and a bright future for building a moderately prosperous society in all respects.
 
二、 Reasonably designate venues for mobile vendors.Loosening restrictions on the "street vendor economy" is not about turning back the clock and letting cities return to a state of disorder and filth. Reviving the "street vendor economy" and regulating outdoor operations ensures that both economic vitality and management capacity are maintained, allowing people to buy and eat with confidence. This also tests the modernization level of a city's governance capabilities. By improving the precision of governance and standardizing and upgrading the "street vendor economy," we can leverage this fulcrum to drive socioeconomic recovery and improve people's lives. This embodies the essence of China's socialist system—putting the people first.
 
Third, the "street vendor economy" does not develop in isolation but drives progress across all industries.The recent boom in the "street vendor economy" has not only boosted sales of small commodities but also spurred the sale of "heavy goods" that facilitate vending, such as refrigerated freezers, electric griddles, food machinery, and even the "domestic supercar" Wuling Hongguang, which has launched a "vending van." Beyond the real economy, concept stocks related to the "street vendor economy" in the stock market have also gained investor favor. As of the close on June 3, 11 related concept stocks, including Nanning Department Store, Yiwu Commodity Market, Haining Leather City, Maoye Commercial, Huijia Times, and Baida Group, hit their daily price limits, while Zhejiang Dongri, Zhejiang Yongqiang, and Wangfujing saw significant gains.

 

 
Author's viewpoint:

Street vending was a highly popular business model in the 1980s and 1990s. At that time, China was in a critical period of transitioning from a planned economy to a market economy. Although street vending was an imperfect and uncivilized business model, it played a driving role in China's economic development and livelihood construction. It not only helped China complete its market economy transition but also increased fiscal tax revenue and addressed employment issues.

In the 21st century, street stalls have once again returned to people's lives. This time, their reappearance is not due to economic transformation, but because of the sudden outbreak of the pandemic this year.Starting from January, almost the entire country was shrouded in the shadow of the pandemic, and up to now, the whole world remains deeply entrenched in it. Although the situation in our country is gradually improving, it has not been completely eliminated. During this pandemic, people have hardly gone out, and even when they do, they try to avoid gatherings. This has undoubtedly been a severe blow to shopping malls and markets, and has also significantly impacted people's lives. Since street stalls are often set up in open roadside spaces, such environments can reduce the spread of the virus. This not only facilitates people's daily lives but also promotes the development of the market economy to some extent. Thus, the current street-stall economy differs from the past in both its essence and its form of expression.

Starting from Chengdu and then rising to the central government's endorsement, the street-stall economy is gradually spreading across the country. At the press conference following the Two Sessions, Premier Li Keqiang affirmedThe "street stall economy." Subsequently, the Central Civilization Office stipulated that in this year's evaluation indicators for national civilized cities, issues such as roadside vending will not be included in the assessment criteria for civilized cities. It is evident that this is not only a good move to save livelihoods, the economy, and employment, but also a benevolent act for the country and the people.

The author believes that "street vendor economy" has been highly active throughout history, both in China and abroad, serving as an important means of addressing employment, promoting trade, and meeting daily living needs. Urban development is diverse, just as people's needs are varied. While the "street vendor economy" is an effective way to tackle employment issues at present, it should not be viewed as a short-term measure. In the long run, urban development requires not only high-end markets and personalized services but also the most down-to-earth "street vendor economy." Research indicates that for every high-end talent a city gains, it needs at least six service-oriented jobs to cater to their daily needs. In other words, urban development demands a mix of high, medium, and low-end services. To fully meet these needs, various types of service economies should be vigorously developed, and the "street vendor economy," as the most平民化 form of service economy, plays an irreplaceable role in adequately satisfying people's growing material and cultural needs.

 
I vaguely recall that what once illuminated the dark roads were not the sparse streetlights along the curb, but the plastic red lanterns hanging from the stalls. In the evening, on the bustling streets, the steam and heat from the asphalt road still faintly rose as vendors hawked their goods and collected money, surrounded by customers on all sides—a truly lively scene. Such sights gradually faded from our lives at some point, only to reappear once more. Indeed, the flavors of everyday life are what truly soothe the human heart.