Nike and Adidas are again popular with Chinese consumers after both faced boycotts in March due to the Xinjiang region controversy, according to Citi Research's survey in September.
Citi had conducted a survey of 1,000 Chinese consumers in June when it already showed a gradual recovery in the popularity of western athletic brands.
When asked which athletic brands they considered purchasing next, 81 percent of Chinese consumers surveyed in September indicated they planned to buy Nike, up from 48 percent in the June survey. For Adidas, 49 percent said they planned to buy Adidas, increasing from 31 percent in June.
Chinese brands Peak and Li Ning were down significantly on purchase intent from June to September, with only 7 percent and 4 percent of respondents considering Peak and Li Ning.
Both brands garnered 54 percent in June.
The survey in September suggests the fallout from the Xinjiang cotton controversy continues to wane for western brands, according to Paul Lejuez, Citi’s lead analyst in the athletics’ space.
The labor conditions in Xinjiang’s Western region, home to Muslim Uighurs, became the subject of a diplomatic row between China and the West.
China denied allegations of human rights abuses after the EU, the US, the UK, and Canada imposed sanctions on its officials.


Korea Zinc Plans $6.78 Billion U.S. Smelter Investment With Government Partnership
Global Markets Slide as Tech Stocks Sink, Yields Rise, and AI Concerns Deepen
Gold Prices Slip Slightly in Asia as Silver Nears Record Highs on Dovish Fed Outlook
Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Indian Rupee Slides to Record Low on Fed Outlook
Oil Prices Rebound in Asia as Venezuela Sanctions Risks Offset Ukraine Peace Hopes
EU Court Cuts Intel Antitrust Fine to €237 Million Amid Long-Running AMD Dispute
Nvidia Develops New Location-Verification Technology for AI Chips
Wall Street Futures Dip as Broadcom Slides, Tech Weighed Down Despite Dovish Fed Signals
Gold Prices Dip as Markets Absorb Dovish Fed Outlook; Silver Eases After Record High
JD.com Pledges 22 Billion Yuan Housing Support for Couriers as China’s Instant Retail Competition Heats Up
Asian Stocks Slip as Oracle Earnings Miss Sparks AI Profitability Concerns
Mizuho Raises Broadcom Price Target to $450 on Surging AI Chip Demand
United Airlines Tokyo-Bound Flight Returns to Dulles After Engine Failure
Apple App Store Injunction Largely Upheld as Appeals Court Rules on Epic Games Case
SpaceX Begins IPO Preparations as Wall Street Banks Line Up for Advisory Roles
Rio Tinto Signs Interim Agreement With Yinhawangka Aboriginal Group Over Pilbara Mining Operations 



