E-commerce is killing ‘real’ commerce, says China’s beverage king Zhong Shanshan
Have e-commerce platforms become too powerful, and who ultimately pays the price?
On August 8, CCTV's financial program Dialogue aired an exclusive interview with Nongfu Spring's founder, Zhong Shanshan. The business magnate criticized e-commerce platforms, arguing they are middlemen that have "wiped out" many traditional retailers in Chinese cities. He warned that e-commerce platforms are killing off emotional and spontaneous consumption, as people spend too much time on their phones.
This, Zhong said, constrains thinking and erodes emotional responsiveness and creativity. The remarks sparked a polarized response, with some supporters praising his articulation of widely shared concerns about "platform dominance," while others accused him of clinging to the traditional, multi-tiered distribution system. Critics argued that Zhong's criticism overlooks the efficiency, competition, and convenience that e-commerce platforms have brought, such as narrowing the information gap between consumers and manufacturers.
They also pointed out that Zhong's focus on platforms distracts from more fundamental economic issues like weak demand and excess supply in China.
Written by urgent.news from The Business Times - Companies & Markets's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
