The largest “sex shop” on the planet is in China. Every year, Shanghai “adult sex fair” opens in May with a relaxed atmosphere. All kinds of “toys” are exhibited there: inflatable dolls with “real hair” and skin “more real than life” through dildos “controllable remotely via a smartphone”. Such unpacking may seem surprising in a country ruled by a regime that is both communist and puritanical, where the slightest sex scene is censored in the media and sex education non-existent at school. But this is an opportunity for professionals in the sector to unearth new products.
Because the demand is there, and it continues to grow. China manufactures more than 80% of the sexual accessories produced in the world, according to figures from the Ministry of Commerce for 2021. The sector employs one million people in the country and represents nearly $7 billion in turnover there. “The industry is doing well, rejoices Sonia Yin, who manages the marketing of one of the flagships of the sector, the Baile group, whose catalog has more than 4,000 accessories. Our activity comes from exports for 95%, but for some time now, sales have also taken off in China and that’s new.”
According to the Zhiyan firm, sales of sex toys for women in China jumped 114.4% in 2018 (compared to the previous year) and 67.2% in 2019. In 2021, they were multiplied by 11 on Tmall, an online sales platform. “Many young women are single and have little experience. This type of product is a good way for them to discover their bodies,” said Heng Yi, a blogger specializing in sexuality issues.
For women, “a kind of liberation”
China is the country in the world with the most single people, a third of 25-55 year olds, i.e. 240 million people live alone – and among them, more and more young women, especially in large urban centers. In search of freedom (to escape the weight of motherhood and the extended family), many of them choose not to live as a couple. Not to mention that many male only children who have become adults are uncomfortable in front of women and, taken up by their work, find it difficult to meet them. The pandemic has only accentuated the trends. “Covid-19 has further isolated these young women, while online sales platforms have democratized the purchase of sex toys, explains Heng Yi. Many prefer to live their sexuality alone rather than embarking on a relationship. in love.”
“We try to diversify the appearance of our products to dispel the feeling of shame,” adds Liu Fan, product manager at Svakom, whose accessories are designed to look like everyday objects (phone, plant, pen, camera ). “Women have been told since childhood that sex is dirty, points out Helen Chen, who worked for a long time for a women’s rights NGO in China. They dare not talk about orgasm, sex, or even their periods. Sex toys are a kind of liberation for them.”