Chongchuan district, Nantong boasts a number of time-honored brands, such as the Siyi Pastry Shop, which has won a provincial title. [Photo/ntfabu.com]

Time-honored brands in Chongchuan district, Nantong have been encountering difficulties due to fierce market competition and changing consumer preferences.

Nantong boasts a number of time-honored brands which embody the city's craftsmanship spirit and boost the city's popularity.

According to the Chongchuan district's bureau of commerce, a total of five time-honored brands currently operate in the district, including one endowed with a national title, three with provincial titles and one with a municipal title.

New consumption models, such as online shopping and experiential shopping, are becoming more attractive to consumers, while the traditional model used by time-honored brands has made them less competitive.

These brands are part of the local culture, but their products are often not popular outside the city. To address this, the brands are looking to make appropriate changes and increase publicity.

In addition, fake and poor quality products are now appearing on the market, as some time-honored brands lack awareness of brand protection, which has a strong impact on their reputations.

Mao Xiaofeng, deputy director of the district's bureau of commerce, said that the time-honored brands have to innovate to keep up. Online and offline promotion can be adopted at the same time to increase brand influence.

The brands can also integrate their own cultural features with tourism and experiential shopping. The district plans to construct demonstration circles to gather time-honored brands and provide an exchange platform for resource sharing between the companies.