Shanghai's May 5 Shopping Festival, which has come to the sixth edition this year, will address the latest trends of the Chinese consumers market, said officials and companies' executives during the launching ceremony on Thursday.

Exploring potential in the "silver economy," or consumption among the elderly, will be one highlight. Companies will provide special packages combining healthcare, consumption, elderly care, tourism and financial services.

Online discounter Pinduoduo will help foreign trade companies to explore domestic distribution channels and build more domestic brands via the shopping festival, the company's senior vice president, Zhu Zheng said during the launching ceremony.

The number of shops working with Bank of China to provide tax refund services have been expanded to over 1,000 to embrace the upcoming shopping festival, Zhou Xiang, deputy head of BOC Shanghai branch said on Thursday.

Sheng Qiuping, vice-minister of commerce, said during the Fourth International Consumption Center City Forum held later Thursday that China will further increase the number of shops providing tax refunds and enlarge the product categories eligible for such services.

As Shanghai's GDP per capita increases, the city's consumption structure is changing accordingly, with consumption for services anticipated to take a bigger share. Therefore, Shanghai will enrich the supply of service consumption covering the areas of telecommunications, internet, education, culture and healthcare, said Wu Wei, Shanghai's vice-mayor.

During a press conference on Apr 24, Liu Min, deputy director of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, said that this year's shopping festival, lasting from the end of April to late June, will offer the biggest consumption subsidies and benefit the largest number of consumers.

Subsidies are provided for seven major categories of consumer goods, including home appliances, home decoration, furniture and home products for the elderly, she said.

Efforts will be made by the municipal government to set up more tax refund service centers within the popular business districts. The services to allow overseas tourists to get a tax refund at the places of purchase will be optimized. Online payment service providers such as Alipay and banks serving as the tax refund agencies will provide special discounts, coupons and special gifts to overseas tourists making purchases in the city, she added.

Different districts in Shanghai have come up with their special incentives for this year's shopping festival.

Jiading district, which features automobile manufacturing and unmanned testing, is providing an extra subsidy of up to 2,000 yuan to car buyers during the two months from March 21. The subsidy also applies to used cars.

A number of premium international cosmetics brands such as Sisley will debut their spring new products in the department stores in Jing'an district, located in the heart of Shanghai.

Pudong New Area in eastern Shanghai will release 50 million yuan consumption coupons with which consumers can purchase clothes, cosmetics, gold and jewelry in Pudong-based shopping malls. Consumers can enjoy 30 percent off by using these coupons. Special promotions for car purchases can also be anticipated in Pudong during the May 5 Shopping Festival.

A 1.5-kilometer special lane connecting a park and two major department stores has been set up in Pudong for the Shanghai International Flower Show, which is held from Apr 18 to May 11. It is projected to enhance consumption experiences by providing an amiable environment and integrating cultural activities, according to the local authorities.

The combination of flowers and consumption has also been adopted in the Huangpu district in central Shanghai, as the district hosts the Shanghai International Flower Show for the first time this year. Restaurants in Huangpu have come up with limited editions of desserts and beverages for the flower show. Traditional food brands have also launched flower-themed snacks, which tourists can bring home.