The Shenzhen Municipal Commerce Bureau has issued the "Shenzhen 2026 Implementation Guidelines for Subsidies on Appliance Trade-Ins and Purchases of New Digital and Smart Products." These guidelines provide a one-time subsidy to individual consumers who purchase eligible home appliances, digital, and smart products through online or offline channels. Participating businesses and platforms are encouraged to offer trade-in value for old devices and provide additional subsidies.

According to the guidelines, subsidies will be granted for the purchase of six categories of home appliances—refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, air conditioners, water heaters, and computers—that meet Grade 1 energy or water efficiency standards. The subsidy amounts to 15% of the final sales price after all discounts are applied. Each consumer is eligible for one subsidized item per category, with a maximum subsidy of 1,500 yuan per item.

Subsidies are also available for four categories of products—mobile phones, tablets, smartwatches (or smart bands), and smart glasses—with a single-item sales price not exceeding 6,000 yuan. The subsidy is set at 15% of the final discounted price. Each consumer may claim one subsidized product per category, capped at 500 yuan per item.

The subsidy program operates on an "enjoy upon purchase" basis. Consumers can obtain subsidy eligibility based on personal needs and receive an immediate cash discount when making payments through designated online or offline platforms. Selling enterprises or platform operators will advance the subsidy funds, while commerce authorities in Shenzhen will pre-allocate a portion of the subsidy capital accordingly.

Regarding the implementation timeline, the nationwide subsidy program for the six categories of appliance trade-ins and four categories of digital and smart product purchases will take effect from January 1, 2026. Subsidies for smart home products, including age-friendly household items, and additional smart products supported independently by Shenzhen will be implemented upon approval from higher-level authorities. The program is scheduled to end on December 31, 2026. Both the payment date and the invoice date must fall within the activity period to qualify for the subsidy.

The program will be administered under the principle of "total amount control, first-come-first-served, and termination upon fund exhaustion." Announcements may be issued to conclude the program ahead of schedule depending on the usage of the subsidy budget.