For China’s Gen Z, consumption isn’t just about products or price—it’s about how things feel. Welcome to the experience economy, where emotional payoff and personal meaning matter more than function. And it’s already reshaping everything from weekend hobbies to nightlife.
Take the rise of wild herb foraging. This spring, digging for greens became one of the trendiest weekend activities. Young people drove for hours to find the right spot, followed online tutorials, and turned their haul into Instagram-worthy meals. It costs almost nothing—just time, focus, and a break from the digital grind. It’s slow, tactile, and taps into Gen Z’s craving for wellness and escape.
On Rednote, hashtags like #wildherbpicking and #joyofforaging have hit 250 million views. Some users even made “urban foraging maps” showing where to find edible greens in city neighborhoods. As interest grows, so does demand for gear. Searches for “foraging tools” on Tmall are up 58%, and sales of baskets and mini shovels have jumped 80%. One product reportedly pulled in nearly 100,000 RMB (13.9K USD) in a single month.
Foraging is just one part of a broader trend. Academic hotels and bars are also gaining traction—young people are opting to stay in former professors’ dorm rooms instead of budget hotels, or to host cultural salons over drinks in a pub. These spaces speak to Gen Z’s appetite for low-key but meaningful experiences. Then there’s immersive theater, where you’re not just watching the show but being part of it. According to Meituan, 75% of immersive entertainment purchases come from people aged 20 to 35.
In a landscape shaped by both cautious spending and selective upgrades, Gen Z is rethinking what “value” really means. They want more than things—they want presence, emotion, and memory. And for brands, it’s a wake-up call: it’s not just what you sell, but how it makes people feel. The experience economy isn’t a trend but a mindset, and it’s changing how a generation lives, plays, and pays.