Food Expenditures by China's High-Income Households

"High-income" households in China had per-capita disposable incomes of just $2,637 during 2003, but their ownership of consumer durable goods suggests a standard of living putting them in the "middle class." Their expenditures on food away from home were sharply higher than those of other urban households. Quantities of beverages, dairy products, and poultry products purchased for at-home consumption were also significantly higher, but purchases of most other food products were only marginally higher. Higher per-unit expenditures for most items reflect greater demand for quality by high-income households