Most Chinese think of the needs of their families when buying things, a study report by Synovate released Wednesday showed.

The study, named Media Atlas China, found that some 77 percent of respondents in the Tier 1 cities strongly agree or agree that they usually think about the needs of their families when buying things. Synovate surveyed 68,000 consumers across 66 cities and rural areas in the Chinese mainland from December 2009 to June 2010.

The figure for Tier 2, Tier 3, Tier 4, Tier 5 and rural areas is 68 percent, 77 percent, 83 percent and 80 percent, respectively.

Chinese cities are commonly divided into five tiers, broadly equating to levels of economic development, and with political considerations also a factor. Tier 1 represents the most developed areas, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, while Tier 5 is less-developed small cities. Rural areas are villages close to Tiers 2, 3, 4, and 5 cities.

Marketers have to remember that family comes first in China, said Steve Garton, executive director of media at Synovate.

China's retail sales, the main gauge of consumer spending, rose 17.9 percent year-on-year in July to 1.22 trillion yuan (US$180.8 billion), according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

China is the favorite investment destination by retailers this year, replacing India, according to the Global Retail Development Index complied by global consultant firm A.T. Kearney.

(China Daily September 4, 2010)