(Yicai) May 19 -- Shanghai has issued new customs inspection rules, with the aim of speeding up clearance for consumer goods set to debut in China and injecting fresh vitality into the local consumer market.

Jointly released on May 16 by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce and Shanghai Customs, the new rules streamline the entry procedures for imported goods in “first exhibitions, first showings, first stores, and first releases.”

The new process will apply to apparel, toys, tableware, and electronics, including global product debuts from international brands, goods for a premium brand's first store in China, and limited-edition first releases, Pan Xiaoyi, director of commodity inspections at Shanghai Customs, said at a press briefing.

It offers a “zero‑damage, zero‑wait” experience, Pan said. For example, for exhibits not intended for domestic sale and small batches of fewer than 20 items, the authorities will apply a “qualification guarantee with rapid release” procedure. Imports of debut products exceeding 20 units can also skip redundant testing if supported by certified lab reports, Pan pointed out.

In addition, Shanghai is piloting China’s first “white‑list linkage” mechanism for first‑release products to further reduce the inspection time for approved items, Pan said, adding that the China headquarters of 14 multinational companies have already applied for inclusion, encompassing over 20,000 global and regional first‑release products.

Once in effect, the new measures will lift average single‑shipment clearance efficiency by more than 80 percent, saving about two weeks of inspection time for products such as tableware, which typically require longer testing cycles, Pan said.

China is one of the largest consumer markets globally for Jellycat, Kong Ying, sales operations director at the maker of luxury soft toys, told Yicai. Shanghai’s new customs policy will help accelerate the launch of the brand’s latest products in China, markedly cut operational costs, and provide a strong rationale for the branch to apply for more China-first projects with its London HQ, she noted.

Faster market entry for goods is vital for improving corporate responsiveness and customer satisfaction, said Qiu Jun, chief financial officer for the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong of Finnish consumer goods maker Fiskars.

Editor: Martin Kadiev