, Columnist
China’s Economy Is Different With This Virus Outbreak
The way people select, shop and consume has changed vastly in the 17 years since SARS.
Meituan Dianping makes most of its revenue from food delivery.
Photographer: Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images
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As the Wuhan coronavirus spreads around the globe, spurring speculation about its epidemiological and financial impact, particularly in China, it’s natural to compare it with the SARS outbreak of 2003.
China has changed a lot in the interceding years, most notably the structure of its consumer economy. How people find, select, purchase and consume products is vastly different.