
By Inside Retail Asia
China’s Miniso Group has apologised for promoting itself as a Japanese-style brand and said it would make changes across its stores to rectify this, becoming the latest retailer to respond to a surge in patriotism among Chinese shoppers.
The company, which has more than 5000 stores in China and abroad, has for years described itself as “a Japanese-inspired lifestyle product retailer”, and has been compared to the Muji chain operated by Tokyo-listed Ryohin Keikaku.
However, earlier this month, it drew anger from Chinese social media users after its Spanish Instagram account posted a picture of dolls, one of which it called a “Japanese geisha doll” but which Chinese users pointed out was wearing a qipao dress, a traditional Chinese outfit.
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