Major shopping malls in downtown Zhongwei include Gulou Department Store on South Town Street, Golden Century Shopping Mall, Wenchang Shopping Plaza, People's Shopping Mall and Kaisheng Shopping Center on East City Street. They offer a dazzling and diverse range of goods. A host of featured commercial streets such as Xiangyang Street, Xinglong Street and Yonglou Pedestrian Street also make shopping in Zhongwei more convenient for tourists.

Zhongwei has harsh climatic and geographical conditions, yet these have given rise to local specialties with distinct regional characteristics.

It is a plant that thrives in sandy land. Sweet in taste, sea buckthorn can withstand wind and sand and plays a remarkable role in curbing desertification. Its cultivation serves as a key pillar for ecological conservation in Zhongwei.

Zhongwei's Zhongning County is known as the Capital of Wolfberry, where premium Ningxia wolfberry is produced.

Rice from Zhongwei also enjoys a good reputation. Ningxia lies in an arid region with scarce rainfall, but the Yellow River provides abundant water for irrigation. Rice is widely grown here, boasting an excellent texture and flavor.

Besides, the arid climate, long sunshine hours and large temperature differences help local desert fruits accumulate high sugar content. They are juicy, sweet and refreshing. The most famous variety is the selenium-sand melon, also named Olympic Watermelon. Other popular fruits include fragrant pear, muskmelon and golden thread jujube.