South Korean bulk buying hits record US$1.1 billion as shoppers trim food bills
Warehouse retailers are posting record gains as South Korean consumers seek relief from high food prices
She said buying groceries and household essentials in bulk seemed more economical, at least for her family of four. “The bill is bigger each time, but buying in bulk works out cheaper for the same amount. I mainly buy food we eat regularly and everyday household essentials, and divide the food into meal-sized portions for storage.”
According to market tracker WiseApp Retail, combined estimated card spending at Costco and Emart Traders totalled a record 1.45 trillion won (US$1.1 billion) in September. The estimates are based on a sample of South Korean consumers’ credit and debit card payments. They exclude cash and bank transfers and therefore differ from the retailers’ reported revenue.
