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…

Tea is set to maintain growth in current value terms in 2023, with this expected to be driven by fruit/herbal tea. Consumers are looking for non-caffeinated tea as an efficient way to provide hydration. This is leading to growing sales of…

Total sweet spreads packaging volumes maintained growth in South Korea in 2023. Jams and preserves continued to account for the highest packaging volumes, and also saw the highest growth. Glass jars continued to be the dominant packaging for sweet…

Alongside the home café trend, a notable shift has occurred in bakery products, transcending the long-held bias that bread cannot serve as a meal replacement - often referred to as the “breadcrumbs prejudice”. This shift emphasises the savoury,…

Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks in South Korea is set to maintain retail volume and current value growth in 2024, with growth anticipated for all the main categories. In particular, remarkable growth is expected for cereal bars and…

While reducing food waste and recycling are well-established green habits, many consumers are apathetic, believing their actions make no difference. This creates opportunities to focus on actionable sustainable claims and campaigns, highlighting…

Surface care recorded double-digit current value growth in 2023, driven by two main factors. One significant contributor is the heightened emphasis on hygiene standards in the post-pandemic era. As individuals and businesses prioritise cleanliness…

Although supermarkets saw a second consecutive year of decline in outlet numbers in South Korea in 2023, current value sales maintained low growth. Positioned between convenience stores and hypermarkets, supermarkets leverage their smaller size for…

In 2023, sales of sunglasses in South Korea soared in current value terms, seeing a double-digit increase, reflecting a significant upward trend that is expected to accelerate in 2024. This impressive growth can be attributed to a variety of factors,…

Sun care saw dynamic current value growth in South Korea in 2023, with sales rising above the pre-pandemic level. Sun protection witnessed a notable rise, especially the mass segment, as outdoor activities increased. Several factors contributed to…

Sugar confectionery in South Korea saw solid retail volume and current value growth in 2023, and this trend is expected to be maintained in 2024. Standard mints is set to see one of the strongest growth rates in sugar confectionery in South Korea in…

In 2023, tanghulu (sugar-coated fruits on a bamboo skewer) emerged as the most prominent snacking mega-trend in the entire food industry in South Korea. The popularity of tanghulu began with mukbang YouTubers who focused on ASMR content, creating…

Store cards in South Korea is experiencing a trend of stagnant growth. Despite the enduring appeal of store cards and their unique set of benefits, the growth rates in both 2022 and 2023 feature stabilisation rather than substantial expansion.…

Staple foods, closely associated with economic conditions in South Korea, is experiencing slower growth rates in many categories due to recent external economic factors. Elevated inflation rates have led to an upward trend in retail value sales…

In 2023, sportswear continues to post healthy growth, boosted by the full lifting of the mask mandate and consumers’ increasing participation in sports and outdoor activities. Some players stated that their manufacturing facilities struggled to keep…

As local consumers continue to enjoy greater freedom outside of the home and participate in outdoor activities such as running or cycling, there is increasing demand for sports nutrition products which can be consumed on the go. This is driving the…

After seeing an off-trade volume decline in 2020 in the first year of the pandemic, sports drinks returned to dynamic growth, and this trend is set to continue in 2023, with sales far exceeding the pre-pandemic level. Recovery has been driven by an…

Sprits in South Korea recorded a total volume decline in 2023. However, not all categories faced a negative performance. For instance, whiskies demonstrated robust growth, notably influenced by the behaviours of Generation Z of legal drinking age,…

Spectacles in South Korea saw only slow current value growth in 2023, and this trend is anticipated to continue into 2024, with the expectation of a further slowdown in year-on-year growth. However, within spectacles, the three categories – readymade…

Rigid plastic dominates packaging unit volumes in the South Korean soft drinks industry, predominantly in the form of PET bottles, but also thin wall plastic containers and HDPE bottles, although the latter pack type still has a very small footprint.…

Growth is expected to continue in soft drinks in both off-trade and on-trade volume terms in 2023. However, products that are perceived as healthier, such as bottled water, kombucha, and reduced sugar carbonates, amongst others, are expected to see…

Snacks in South Korea is set to maintain solid retail current value growth in 2024, affected by multiple influences. Inflation, along with the rising costs of raw materials and labour, is exerting significant pressure on manufacturers, leading to…

In 2023, heated tobacco products in South Korea maintained double-digit retail volume and current value growth. The competition for the top spots in heated tobacco is intensifying. KT&G, Philip Morris Korea, and Rothmans Far East (BAT) are all…

In 2023, small local grocers in South Korea saw yet another year of decline in both current value sales and outlet numbers. The channel has been encountering difficulties as consumer preference is tending to shift towards e-commerce and convenience…

Economic instability is reducing consumer spending on non-essential items such as small cooking appliances. Consumers are concerned about their financial situation and have become increasingly conscious of their expenditure, reducing their propensity…

The lingering impact of the pandemic, greater exposure to digital screens, and generally fast-paced lifestyles are continuing to affect the local population’s ability to relax and sleep, with heightened stress known to be a major factor impacting…

In 2023, overall skin care saw only low current value growth in South Korea. However, while mass skin care experienced solid growth, premium skin care recorded a second consecutive year of decline. Mass brands exhibited rapid development in terms of…

In 2022 and 2023, independent self-service cafeterias demonstrated double-digit growth in retail value sales. The primary driver behind this success was the popularity of local Korean cuisine buffets, which provide a rich variety of options, and…

Savoury snacks in South Korea is set to maintain solid growth in both retail volume and current value terms in 2024. With a declining youth population in the country, consumers in their 30s and 40s are driving the popularity of savoury snacks,…

In line with the continuing home-cooking trend, the packaging unit volumes of aluminium/plastic pouches and glass jars used in cooking sauces rose notably in 2020, with further growth in 2021. However, growth slowed in the latter year as some…

Although it saw a decline in packaging volumes in 2023, PET bottles remained the predominant pack type in sauces, dips and condiments packaging in South Korea in 2023. PET bottles offer convenience and practicality, making them suitable for a wide…