South Korea

In 2023, yoghurt and sour milk products is set to see growth in current value terms, mainly due to price increases across the entire dairy industry. The continued popularity of plain yoghurt, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, is expected to…

The official end of the pandemic in 2023, and the full resumption of offline classrooms in schools and extracurricular academic institutions has been continuing to support students’ demand for stationery, and is also expected to sustain the retail…

The smaller value category of sticking plasters/adhesive bandages continues to see further product differentiation and development through material diversification to attract consumers with innovative formats. For instance, JW Pharmaceutical has been…

Overall womenswear continues to post solid growth in 2023. However, both retail volume and current value growth rates are notably slower compared to the dynamic performance by womenswear in 2022. This is likely due to the fact that consumers’ pent-up…

In the dynamic landscape of wipes in South Korea, eco-friendly and biodegradable wipes are experiencing consistent growth. As environmental consciousness continues to gain prominence amongst consumers, there has been a notable and sustained uptick in…

In South Korea, the alcoholic drinks industry has been rapidly evolving, witnessing a swift transition from imported beers to craft beers, then to wines, and subsequently to whiskies and highballs. The industry is now speculating about the next big…

Weight management and wellbeing is recording another positive performance in 2023 as local consumers continue on their weight loss journeys following the home seclusion trend of the pandemic, which resulted in sedentary lifestyles and weight gain for…

Consumer demand for wearable electronics continued to rise in 2022, and volume growth is set to be maintained in 2023, driven by increasing awareness of health, and the desire to track fitness goals. This trend was boosted by the pandemic, and has…

Despite some stabilising of retail volume growth in 2023, overall demand for vitamins in South Korea remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. Single vitamins, particularly vitamin C, have been popular since the emergence of COVID-19 as local…

In 2023, video games in South Korea experienced a notable current value decline. This turnaround, after years of growth, was propelled by various factors, foremost among them being the waning impact of COVID-19, which led to a resurgence in outdoor…

In 2023, vending maintained dynamic current value growth in South Korea, driven by the surge in outdoor activities following the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, although it remained a small channel within the overall retail landscape. This uptick…

Retail volume sales of vacuum cleaners as a whole are falling in 2023, despite another dynamic performance by robotic vacuum cleaners with robust double-digit volume and value growth. Standard vacuum cleaners are relatively mature in South Korea,…

In 2022, the gradual removal of pandemic-related restrictions in South Korea led to a significant surge in outbound travel demand. This trend continues in 2023. Outbound travellers in both 2022 and 2023 have also been spending considerable sums of…

After seeing a fairly steep decline in 2022, traditional toys and games in South Korea saw a further small fall in sales in current value terms in 2023. Only half the categories within traditional toys and games showed growth in 2023, with just four…

While in 2022 sales of traditional watches posted strong double-digit current value growth, driven by consumers’ high demand for luxury goods, 2023 is set to witness a strong slowdown in growth, as the unstable global political and economic…

After many years of growth, in 2023 toys and games in South Korea witnessed a notable current value decline, with traditional toys and games seeing only a slight fall in sales, and video games a stronger decrease. Toys and games witnessed a decrease…

In 2022, travel restrictions that the Korean government had introduced as part of pandemic measures were eased for both inbound and outbound travellers in stages, while most countries had removed their stringent travel restrictions due to the waning…

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a heightened awareness of hygiene among South Koreans, with a stronger dedication to household cleanliness and a more conscientious approach to toilet hygiene. This elevated interest has prompted the…

In 2023, overall retail current value sales of tobacco in South Korea showed a positive growth rate compared with the previous year, yet the growth rate was minimal, resulting in no significant difference in actual sales compared with 2022.

Tissue and hygiene navigated a complex landscape in South Korea in 2023, shaped by key macro variables. Inflation, which was a global phenomenon, strongly impacted the industry. Rising raw materials costs squeezed profit margins and forced…