On July 29, 13 departments including the Ministry of Commerce issued a notice on several measures to promote the consumption of green and smart home appliances, proposing to promote green and smart home appliances to the countryside. All localities can make good use of relevant funds such as county-level commercial construction actions, and actively guide enterprises to focus on county towns and towns to transform and upgrade service outlets such as home appliance sales networks, warehousing and distribution centers, after-sales maintenance, and home appliance recycling. Encourage household appliance production and distribution enterprises to develop green and smart household appliances that meet the characteristics of the rural market and the consumption needs of the elderly. Encourage qualified places to give relevant policy support to the purchase of green smart home appliances.
The notice also proposes to fully implement the VAT credit and refund policy to effectively reduce the financial pressure of home appliance distribution enterprises. Increase government procurement of green home appliances that comply with policies, and play a leading role in demonstration. Guide financial institutions to improve service capabilities, increase financial support for small, medium and micro enterprises, and strengthen support for the production, service and consumption of green smart home appliances on the premise of compliance with laws and regulations, controllable risks, and sustainable business. Advocate production enterprises to take out insurance related to product quality and safety.
Notice of 13 departments including the Ministry of Commerce on several measures to promote the consumption of green and smart home appliances
The people’s governments of all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps:
In order to implement the decisions and deployments of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, make up for the shortcomings of the home appliance market, break through the blockages of home appliance consumption, meet the people’s demand for low-carbon, green, smart, and fashionable home appliance consumption upgrades, and stimulate the development of home appliances and upstream and downstream related industries, To help stabilize the macroeconomic market and better serve the construction of a new development pattern, with the approval of the State Council, the relevant matters are hereby notified as follows:
1. Carry out the national home appliance “trade-in” activity
All localities should give full play to the roles of government departments, industry associations, e-commerce platforms, and home appliance production, circulation, and recycling enterprises, and carry out “trade-in” activities for home appliances through government support, corporate promotions, etc., and comprehensively promote smart refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners, ultra-high-definition TVs, mobile phones, smart kitchen and bathroom, smart security, smart office, smart health care and other green smart home appliances consumption. All localities can explore and promote the development of the waste home appliance recycling industry based on actual conditions, provide guarantees for relevant vehicles to enter the community, and facilitate residents to deliver and sell used home appliances. Enterprises are encouraged to come to recycle and disassemble for free. Encourage qualified places to provide policy support through existing funding channels, and shall not set unreasonable and discriminatory entry and exit conditions, expand policy coverage, and enrich consumer choices.
2. Promote green and smart home appliances to the countryside
All localities can make good use of relevant funds such as county-level commercial construction actions, and actively guide enterprises to focus on county towns and towns to transform and upgrade service outlets such as home appliance sales networks, warehousing and distribution centers, after-sales maintenance, and home appliance recycling. Encourage household appliance production and distribution enterprises to develop green and smart household appliances that meet the characteristics of the rural market and the consumption needs of the elderly. Encourage qualified places to give relevant policy support to the purchase of green smart home appliances.
3. Encourage the delivery of basic decoration and home appliance leasing
Guide affordable rental housing to implement simple and environmentally friendly basic decoration, and encourage the configuration of basic household appliances. Actively carry out home appliance leasing business to meet the consumption needs of new citizens, young people and other groups.
4. Expanding consumption scenarios to improve consumption experience
Coordinate and organize various consumption promotion activities such as home appliance consumption season and home appliance shopping festival. Promote the omni-channel integration of physical business and e-commerce platforms, carry out experience activities for the debut of new home appliances, and create new immersive, experiential, one-stop home appliance consumption scenarios. Carry out demonstration and creation of smart business circles, smart stores, and green shopping malls, expand the pilot program of urban convenience living circles for 15 minutes, and improve the consumption experience of green smart home appliances. Organize industry associations, consumer associations, etc. to carry out public welfare campaigns for household appliance renewal consumption, popularize the knowledge of the hazards of using household appliances over time, and spread the concept of green, smart, safe and healthy consumption.
5. Optimizing the supply of green smart home appliances
Improve the standards for green and smart home appliances, implement high-end quality certifications such as green home appliances, smart home appliances, and the Internet of Things, and provide guidelines for the consumption of green and smart home appliances. In-depth implementation of digitalization to help the “three products” action of the consumer goods industry. Promote the open integration, compatibility and interconnection of standards for smart home appliances and accessories such as plugs, chargers, and remote controls. Accelerate the development of digital homes and promote the full-scenario application of Internet-based smart home appliances. Encourage the development of reverse customization (C2M), personalized design, flexible production and intelligent manufacturing. Make good use of important platforms such as China International Import Expo, China Import and Export Fair, and China International Consumer Goods Expo to facilitate the entry of international high-quality home appliances into the Chinese market.
6. Implement after-sales service improvement actions for home appliances
Improve the service standards for home appliance distribution, installation, and maintenance, and promote the standardization of the entire chain of services. Cultivate a group of leading enterprises in after-sales service, improve the service level of after-sales maintenance personnel, promote after-sales maintenance services into communities, shopping malls, and platforms, and improve the level of specialization, standardization, and convenience. Cultivate supply chain innovation and application demonstration enterprises in the field of home appliances. Strengthen the protection of consumers’ rights and interests, fully implement payment in advance for consumer disputes, and guide merchants to actively carry out unreasonable return commitments.
7. Strengthen the recycling and utilization of waste household appliances
Promote home appliance manufacturers to carry out recycling target responsibility system actions, rely on product sales and maintenance service network, and build a reverse recycling system for waste home appliances through self-construction or cooperative construction. All localities should speed up the construction of waste material recycling systems, strengthen policy guarantees, and support the construction of home appliance recycling outlets and green sorting centers.
8. Strengthening infrastructure support
Fully implement the gigabit optical fiber network deployment project, further promote the 5G (fifth-generation mobile communication) application “sail” action plan, and consolidate the network foundation for smart home appliance applications. Accelerate the popularization and application of high-definition and ultra-high-definition smart set-top boxes, enrich the supply of TV content, and improve network transmission capabilities. Accelerate the renovation of old urban communities, implement rural power grid consolidation and upgrading projects, and increase the guarantee of electricity, water, gas, and power grids.
9. Implement fiscal, taxation and financial policies
Fully implement the value-added tax credit and refund policy, and effectively reduce the financial pressure of home appliance distribution enterprises. Increase government procurement of green home appliances that comply with policies, and play a leading role in demonstration. Guide financial institutions to improve service capabilities, increase financial support for small, medium and micro enterprises, and strengthen support for the production, service and consumption of green smart home appliances on the premise of compliance with laws and regulations, controllable risks, and sustainable business. Advocate production enterprises to take out insurance related to product quality and safety.
All localities should strengthen organizational leadership, refine the implementation plan, mobilize and integrate resources, consolidate the responsibilities of all parties, and do a good job of concrete implementation. We must resolutely safeguard the unified and open national market, focus on using market-oriented and sustainable methods to expand consumption, give full play to the roles of various market players, and effectively ensure fair competition. The Ministry of Commerce, together with relevant departments, will strengthen overall planning and coordination, track the implementation situation, report the progress of the work in a timely manner, promote the implementation of relevant policies and measures as soon as possible, and promote the continuous recovery of household appliance consumption.
Ministry of Commerce
Development and Reform Commission
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Ecology and Environment
Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development
The People’s Bank
State Administration of Taxation
State Administration for Market Regulation
SARFT
China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission
Energy Board
Rural Development Bureau
July 28, 2022