China is readying policies to encourage the use of catering services by ordinary people, which will help to boost consumption and economic growth in the world's second-largest economy, a trade official said on Wednesday.

"Ordinary catering services will be a key area this year and in the near future. We are studying supportive measures to boost consumption," Yao Jian, spokesman of the Ministry of Commerce, told a news conference in Beijing.

He added that the measures will include the improvement of the credit system, industrial regulations and standards, as well as regional catering networks.