Illustration: Tang Tengfei/GT

　　Data released on Wednesday by the China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing (CFLP) indicates that China"s cold-chain logistics sector continued to expand in 2025, supported by the steady release of consumer demand, according to CCTV News. Both market scale and infrastructure capacity increased last year.

　　Although cold-chain logistics may seem like a technical and highly specialized segment, its recent trajectory offers a useful micro-level lens through which to observe evolving consumption patterns in China, particularly shifts in what consumers buy, how they buy it, and where demand is emerging.

　　CFLP data shows that total cold-chain logistics volume reached 381.4 million tons in 2025, up 4.5 percent year-on-year, while total cold storage capacity rose to 267 million cubic meters, an increase of 5.53 percent. More notably, the sector is gradually placing greater emphasis on automation and more intelligent management, suggesting a maturing phase in which efficiency and operational quality are becoming important alongside scale.

　　Taken together, these developments appear closely aligned with changes underway in China"s consumer market. The expansion of cold-chain logistics reflects more than a sector-specific upgrade and appears to be evolving in parallel with changing consumption patterns. Several underlying trends are becoming clearer, providing context for how demand is shifting and where new growth may emerge.