Gap between low-end and high-end

A mynah bird kept in a filthy round cage that is far too small. A tiny lattice box containing over 20 budgerigars. Tortoises offered for sale in plastic containers sitting outside and exposed to the sun. These are images that many Europeans and Americans find shocking, but are part of daily life in China. Pet shops like these are mostly to be found in the midst of large markets, of which there are seven in Shanghai, according to one observer familiar with the pet sector. These markets extend over a number of streets and stock similar products, but the individual stores are worlds apart in terms of quality. It isn't uncommon to be taken aback by the wretched conditions in which animals are kept in one shop and then find a completely different situation in the one next door: a shopping experience with beautifully designed, well-maintained aquariums and fantastic product presentations on a par with those occasionally found in top stores in western industrialised nations.

The difference is noticeable not only in presentation but also with regard to prices.  In many small independent shops, external filters for aquariums are on sale for a few yuan or renminbi, as the Chinese currency is called. These are Chinese products for the most part and they flood the market. Only customers with hefty spending power can afford branded goods from Europe or the USA, and yet the number of rich and super-rich people in Shanghai and its environs is on the rise. This is evident from the luxury cars on the streets and the many outlet stores for top fashion brands such as Prada and Louis Vuitton. Quality brands are also on the increase in the pet product segment, especially since the gradual emergence of a kind of middle class in recent years in the Chinese metropolises. It is composed primarily of young people with a predilection for the western lifestyle and for products made in Europe or the USA, having learned about such products and their advantages from the Internet. 

The more visually impressive an aquatics or pet shop is, the more likely shoppers are to find international brands on the sales floor. In the aquatics shops visited by PET worldwide, the strong showing by Eheim, JBL, ADA, Hagen…