{
  "id": 828506,
  "title": "E-commerce is killing ‘real’ commerce, says China’s beverage king Zhong Shanshan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/14/e-commerce-is-killing-real-commerce-says-chinas-beverage-king-zhong",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-14T01:53:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Business Times - Companies & Markets",
    "slug": "the-business-times-companies-markets",
    "url": "https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/international/global/e-commerce-killing-real-commerce-says-chinas-beverage-king-zhong-shanshan"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "Have e-commerce platforms become too powerful, and who ultimately pays the price?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}