People flocked to the annual Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo on Saturday as it got under way at Victoria Park.

The 24-day fair, organised by the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong, is expected to attract 1.3 million visitors and generate HK$1 billion in sales by the time it ends on January 5.

Many customers arrived early to buy the discounted products, including the special HK$1 deals. A woman who got her hands on one of the limited HK$1 packages said she was thrilled.

“I arrived at 9am today, and I’m so happy. I will buy more products that I like and I plan to spend a few thousand dollars,” she said.

An exhibitor said he was optimistic about business this year and was hoping to see business growth of 15 to 20 percent.

“The Brands and Products Expo is a major event that also draws in many tourists from the mainland and overseas, so we are looking forward to it,” he said.

“Although many people say there is an economic downturn at this time, we still embrace the expo with a positive attitude and we hope the outcome will turn out to be good.”

Financial Secretary Paul Chan also visited the fair and splurged some HK$4,200 on a variety of products.