Disappearing city：Traditional food market
Director：Wang Dongtong
Video:https://youtu.be/g6m9pid5PAw
Introduction
The theme of this video essay is to explore the disappearance of traditional food markets due to the emergence of supermarkets and online shopping. Focused primarily on the Shek Tong Tsui market, the video draws comparisons with Wellcome and Park’n Shop, showing that supermarkets’ superior customer flow and popularity. In addition, the video highlights the convenience factor of the food delivery industry, which has led consumer preference for online shopping.
Hong Kong is well-known for its diverse street food culture, which has gathered friends and family for a range of simple meals. Thus, the traditional food market is not just a place to buy food, but also a community where people can communicate with each other. Before the emergence of supermarkets and online grocery shopping, people used to shop at traditional food markets, such as roadside fruit stalls, vegetable stands, butcher shops, and various street markets like Kowloon City Market and Western Market. However, the rise of modern supermarkets and online platforms has prompted a shift towards a convenient one-stop shopping experience. Supermarkets often provide a more controlled and cleaner environment, and the online grocery platforms give the consumers diverse choices and save more time compared to traditional food market. The convenience factor together with the high quality has drawn customers away from the traditional food markets. Consequently, the changing consumption patterns, particularly among younger people, predominantly contribute to the decline of traditional food markets. In addition, the increasing vacancy rate of street markets in Hong Kong, from 13% in 2023 to 16% in 2024, highlights the declining trend of traditional food markets.
Research
This video essay is drawn from online literature and two field trip experiences. During our last field trip, my friend and I noticed the abundance of restaurants, hairdressers and supermarkets in the neighborhood, while there were very few traditional food shops, with only one fruit shop and a butcher shop. This observation sparked our interest in exploring disappearing traditional food markets. I mainly searched for news reports on the internet and since I think street markets are the most typical representatives of traditional food market in Hong Kong, so I mainly searched news for it. Then, I found that the vacancy rate of Hong Kong’s street markets is increasing year by year. Since there was no street market last time, I was very clear that I will shoot a street market on this field trip, so I chose the Shek Tong Tsui Market as the main shooting location this time. Also, I shifted the focus of the research from the social significance and improvement of traditional food markets to the threat posed by supermarkets and online grocery shops. Therefore, for this video essay I search statistics of supermarkets and online shops over the past few years and found that there is an increasing trend. Additionally, I allocate more filming time to the inside of supermarkets and food delivery couriers.
Filming method
The filming method adopts an intuitive perspective, shooting the scenes from a first-person point of view to put the audience in an immersive environment. Close-up shots are predominant, focusing on vegetables and meat in the Shek Tong Tsui market, as well as fruits and frozen food in supermarkets. This technique aims to evoke a sense of first-hand experience in the viewer. After leaving my home, the first stop was the Shek Tong Tsui Market. So, I decided to film the Shek Tong Tsui Market first and then film Wellcome and Park’n Shop for comparison. Before entering the Shek Tong Tsui Market, I first gave a long shot for it to let the audience know that we were moving to the Shek Tong Tsui Market, followed by close-ups of signboards to provide background information. In addition, I gave close-ups of vacant stalls to demonstrate the gradually rising vacancy rate reported in the news. I was going out at lunchtime, so I met quite a few food delivery couriers on the way, so I grabbed quite a few close-ups and long shots of them. The video concludes with a close-up of supermarket fruit, which I wanted to show how tidy and varied the supermarkets are to make people more inclined to buy.
Conclusion
In summary, the shift from traditional food markets to supermarkets and online shopping platforms marks a significant shift in consumer behavior in Hong Kong. Once traditional food market is a vibrant community centre where people gathered not only to buy food but also to socialize. However, the convenience and variety offered by supermarkets and online platforms has led to a gradual decline of the traditional food market. As consumption patterns continue to evolve, especially among the younger demographic, it is clear that traditional food markets face an uncertain future in Hong Kong’s changing retail landscape.
Bibliography
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The distribution network in Hong Kong SAR, China. (n.d.). Business Club. https://www.tradeclub.stanbicbank.com/portal/en/market-potential/hong-kong/distribution#
Ho, S. (2005). Evolution versus tradition in marketing systems: The Hong Kong food-retailing experience. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 24(1), 90-99. https://doi.org/10.1509/jppm.24.1.90.63886
Hong Kong e-Commerce market surges in 2022. (n.d.). Financial and ESG intelligence for decision makers | The Asset. https://www.theasset.com/article/49026/hong-kong-e-commerce-market-surges-in-2022
Hong Kong’s wet markets struggle to survive. (2022, November 21). Varsity. https://varsity.com.cuhk.edu.hk/index.php/2010/12/market-struggles/
Ly, D. (2023, February 14). Hong Kong e-Commerce statistics and trends for 2023. Statrys. https://statrys.com/blog/hk-ecommerce-trends
The story of Hong Kong’s disappearing street markets. (n.d.). Mark Eden. https://www.markeden.com.au/hongkongmarkets
Wang, E. (2022, January 14). Hong Kong street food. ArcGIS StoryMaps. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/c1f5c3dd605d42a99f86659d0c583b4d#:~:text=Hong%20Kon
數因斯坦. (2023, January 12). 食環街市空置率達13% 元朗區吉舖最多 未來再「殺」六個街市. 香港01. https://www.hk01.com/研數所/853379/食環街市空置率達13-元朗區吉舖最多-未來再-殺-六個街市
數因斯坦. (2024, April 26). 街市也現吉舖潮？元朗有街市六成檔位丢空 港島街市空置率升得勁. 香港01. https://www.hk01.com/研數所/1012939/街市也現吉舖潮-元朗有街市六成檔位丢空-港島街市空置率升得勁?utm_source=01webshare&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=non_native
Wang Dongtong 3036099394
Good essay and video. According to your essay, I understands that the traditional food markets are disappearing due to newly established super markets and online shopping. However, I don’t now why super markets become better business modes so it can compete over traditional market. As you mentioned, there are probably some hygiene issue in the traditional market. But I’m a little curious about the deeper reasons behind. Your video did a great job to bring me into the scene you are talking about. I felt that I was walking inside Shek Tong Tsui market. However, through your camera, I have a feeling that I was JUST walking through. No interaction, or didn’t show other’s interactions to the market. This feeling reminds me that you are going into this market just because you were working on a course project, but not living on the traditional market. Overall, I like your video and essay.
The video essay explores the disappearance of traditional food markets in Hong Kong due to the rise of supermarkets and online shopping. It highlights the convenience and variety offered by supermarkets and online platforms, which have led to a decline in traditional markets. The research for the video included online literature and field trips, focusing on street markets and the increasing vacancy rate. The filming method used close-up shots to immerse the audience in the experience, showcasing the Shek Tong Tsui market, supermarkets, and food delivery couriers.