The first CIIE U-Fair, an extension of the China International Import Expo for individual consumers, kicked off in Shanghai's National Exhibition and Convention Center on Friday.

Dubbed a "mini CIIE", the U-Fair is expected to attract around 3,000 company purchasers as well as 80,000 consumers over the course of three days.

Offerings at the U-Fair include food, home appliances, automobiles, beauty products, agricultural products, pet supplies, jewelry and over-the-counter drugs. More than 700 companies from over 60 countries are selling at the fair, including multinational industry leaders such as L'Oreal and Lexus.