Galeries Lafayette’s Beijing store will close after 13 years, reflecting changing consumer habits, evolving retail trends and shifting shopping culture in China.
On a recent weekend in Beijing, shoppers gathered outside the soon-to-close Galeries Lafayette in the city’s Xidan shopping district. Many took selfies in front of the building or walked through the mall for one last visit.
A Final Weekend in Xidan
Inside, bright clearance signs hung above half-empty shelves. Some stores offered discounts of up to 70 per cent. Sales staff stood at entrances and tried to draw in shoppers. For many visitors, the trip was more about nostalgia than shopping.
“I saw online that it was closing, so I wanted to come one last time,” said Li Tian, a Beijing resident who had visited the store for years.
The French department store said its Beijing location will officially close on May 27th, ending a 13-year run in China’s capital.
Opened in 2013, the store marked the brand’s second attempt to enter Beijing after an earlier venture in the late 1990s lasted only about a year. At its peak, the 47,000-square-meter flagship housed more than 600 domestic and international brands. It became known for its curated fashion labels and Paris-inspired shopping experience.
For years, the mall stood as a symbol of Beijing’s growing appetite for international fashion and luxury retail.
Yet the atmosphere inside the mall now feels very different.
Some shelves have already been cleared. Several stores have stopped restocking. Foot traffic remains light even during weekend hours.
“It suddenly became popular on social media because it’s closing,” said 24-year-old visitor Wang Shuhan, who had never visited the mall before. “I came mostly out of curiosity.”
China’s Consumers Have Changed
Over the past decade, China’s retail market has changed rapidly.
Young consumers now expect shopping malls to offer more than products. Dining, entertainment and social experiences have become major attractions, especially for Gen Z shoppers. As a result, many Chinese malls have evolved into lifestyle destinations that combine restaurants, cinemas, pop-up events and interactive spaces.
“Galeries Lafayette felt quieter and calmer,” said Cheng, a shopper browsing discounted eyewear inside the mall. “But compared with other malls, there were fewer restaurants and entertainment options.”
At the same time, international brands are no longer difficult to access. Chinese consumers can now buy luxury and designer products through e-commerce platforms, livestreaming channels and brand-operated online stores.
Meanwhile, domestic brands and local shopping centres have become more competitive. Many respond faster to changing consumer tastes and social media trends.
Industry analysts say traditional department stores have also lost influence as luxury brands move toward directly operated flagship stores and digital sales channels.
“The future of retail is shifting from products to lifestyle, and from traffic to emotional connection,” Chinese economist Wan Zhe said.
The closure of Galeries Lafayette also reflects broader challenges facing traditional foreign department stores in China. In recent years, brands including Parkson, Isetan and Marks & Spencer have downsized or exited parts of the Chinese market.
A Changing Retail Landscape
Still, the departure of some foreign retailers does not necessarily signal a broader withdrawal of foreign investment from China.
Official data show that China established more than 20,000 new foreign-invested companies in the first four months of this year. Investment in high-tech industries continued to grow during the same period, while more than 3,000 foreign enterprises expanded their investments in China.
Analysts say the Chinese market remains attractive to multinational companies that can adapt to local consumer trends and changing shopping habits.
At the same time, Beijing’s commercial landscape continues to evolve. According to official data, the city completed upgrades to dozens of major shopping districts by the end of 2025. More than 1,000 “first stores” — new flagship or debut retail outlets — also opened in the capital last year.
For longtime customers, however, the closing still carries emotional weight.
“There are brands I used to buy only here,” said one shopper, surnamed Wang, who visited the mall for the clearance sales. “It feels like part of the city’s memory is disappearing.”
As shoppers take final photos beneath the mall’s glass facade, the closing of Galeries Lafayette marks the end of a familiar retail landmark in Beijing. At the same time, it also reflects how China’s consumer market — and the city’s shopping culture continue to evolve.
Written by Ronnie Yu, additional reporting by CNS, Beijing Business Today, Qianlong.com.
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