South Korea

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.

Gardening in South Korea witnessed a slight current value decline in 2023, although many categories maintained solid growth. For instance, gardening equipment experienced increasing sales, due to the rising popularity of gardening as a recreational…

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, bleach experienced another year of moderate volume and current value growth, driven by factors such as inflation and heightened awareness of hygiene and cleanliness in the post-pandemic era. Demand for disinfectant bleach remains steady 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…

Discounters remained only a small retail channel in South Korea in 2023, and continued to see a decline in outlet numbers in this year, although returned to slight current value growth. In South Korea, major retailers have embraced private label…

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,…

Fragrances maintained double-digit current value growth in South Korea in 2023, with premium fragrances continuing to overwhelmingly dominate, and also seeing the strongest growth in this year. The super-premium segment in fragrances is primarily…

In 2023, retail in South Korea maintained solid current value growth both online and offline, with growth also returning to outlet numbers in the offline space. Value increases were seen across most channels, although growth in outlet numbers was…

Despite expectations that the endemic phase of the pandemic would herald a second year of dynamic revival for the on-trade, and a flourishing year for total volume sales of beer in 2023, beer in South Korea experienced stagnation, with declines seen…

Depilatories maintained solid current value growth for another consecutive year in South Korea in 2023, although the rate of increase slowed compared with the previous couple of years. Nevertheless, women’s razors and blades continued to see robust…

Deodorants maintained solid current value growth in South Korea in 2023. Deodorant sprays continued to dominate deodorants, and also outpaced deodorant roll-ons, sticks and wipes in terms of value growth in 2023. Consumers prefer deodorant sprays for…

Shoe polish is the largest category in polishes and faced a weaker performance in 2023 following the strong rebound in sales during 2022. Demand for shoe polish rebounded strongly in 2022, as professionals returning to offices opted for formal attire…

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…

Ongoing high inflation and economic difficulties have been discouraging consumer spending on luxury products and discretionary items, including jewellery. Nonetheless, despite the expectation of a slight decline in retail volume terms, in current…

Retail volume and current value sales of cigarettes declined in 2023, maintaining the trend seen in 2022. Nevertheless, cigarettes still constitute a large proportion of sales in the overall tobacco industry. Whilst cigarettes experienced a negative…

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 2024, overall eyewear in South Korea is set to see current value growth. The prevalence of vision impairments is on the rise in Korea, with an increasing number of people affected by presbyopia, myopia, and hyperopia. The overall increase in…

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,…

RTDs in South Korea saw exceptional total volume growth in 2023, mainly driven by off-trade growth, although on-trade sales also saw a double-digit increase. Growth was primarily driven by an increase in light home drinking, and a rise in young…

In 2023, homewares in South Korea maintained a current value decline, although this was mainly due to normalisation after a peak in sales during the pandemic in 2020, and sales remained far above the pre-pandemic level. Dinnerware continued to see…

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…

In 2023, hypermarkets in South Korea faced even slower current value growth than in the previous year, along with a continued decline in outlet numbers, encountering a combination of changing consumer habits and difficult economic conditions. A…

Dishwashing witnessed notable current value growth in 2023, propelled by a surge in demand for automatic dishwashing products and a modest increase in current value sales of hand dishwashing. Urbanisation in South Korea is expanding the number of…

In 2023, alcoholic drinks in South Korea turned to slight total volume decline. The industry navigated a complex landscape marked by high expectations for post-pandemic recovery, which was somewhat dampened by significant consumer cost burden due to…

Home improvement in South Korea maintained dynamic current value growth in 2023, with a double-digit increase, maintaining the trend seen for the previous two years. Bathroom and sanitaryware maintained strong growth in home improvement in 2023, due…

Hair care saw slow current value growth in South Korea in 2023. Sales and growth in premium hair care in South Korea lagged behind mass, due to the strong presence of mass brands which are effectively positioning themselves in various hair care…

Direct selling saw little movement in its value sales in current terms in South Korea in 2023, with just a slight decline seen. In April 2023, a legal shift unfolded, permitting sponsored direct sellers to engage in non-face-to-face transactions…

In the aftermath of COVID-19, retail tissue in South Korea was initially poised for decline, along with the return to activities outside the home; however, the category demonstrated resilience in 2023. Contrary to expectations, retail tissue recorded…

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…

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…

Continuing high inflation and financial constraints derived from the unstable global economy have discouraged consumer spending on discretionary items, which is set to result in slower retail volume and current value growth for personal accessories…

In 2024, pet products in South Korea is set to maintain the trend seen in 2023, displaying overall resilience, but each category exhibiting its own growth trajectory. Cat litter, for example, is expected to see continued consistent and robust…

Pet care in South Korea has faced challenges amidst economic slowdown, but is expected to continue to demonstrate resilience and growth in both retail volume and current value terms in 2024. As the economy struggled and living expenses surged at the…

While overall volume sales in menstrual care in South Korea may have shown a slight dip in 2023, a dynamic transformation is quietly unfolding. Closer examination reveals a notable surge in the demand for alternative products such as tampons,…

Laundry care witnessed a stronger performance in retail volume and current value growth in 2023. Many products experienced price increases due to inflation, whilst the heightened levels of hygiene post-pandemic further accelerated the release of…

Cat food is expected to maintain strong growth in South Korea in 2024, with a high single-digit current value increase, continuing the trend observed in 2023. However, the increases in these two years were lower than the steady double-digit growth…

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…

Colour cosmetics maintained dynamic current value growth in South Korea in 2023, with both premium and mass colour cosmetics experiencing healthy growth, with high single-digit increases. Mass colour cosmetics grew slightly faster than premium,…

Despite optimistic expectations of rapid recovery in consumer consumption following the COVID-19 pandemic, transaction growth in overall consumer foodservice in South Korea experienced a slowdown in 2023, exacerbated by prolonged inflation. The…

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…

Home insecticides experienced a decline in volume sales in 2023, as demand for such products weakened, partly due to the perception that they use harsh chemicals. Despite this, South Korea witnessed an increase in mosquito populations, as there was…

In 2023, air care witnessed moderate single-digit growth in current value terms, due to the shifting perspective of air care as a component of self-care, particularly among the younger generations. This signifies a departure from viewing air care…

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…

Packaging trends in South Korea showcase a dynamic landscape, driven by consumer preferences and environmental concerns. In the realm of gift-giving, there is a growing inclination, especially among the younger demographic, towards European fruit…

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…

Home furnishings in Korea saw another year of current value decline in 2023, although this was slower than in the previous year. However, not all categories saw a declining trend; for instance, barbecues witnessed solid value growth in 2023. This was…

After seeing minimal current value growth in 2023, dog food is set to record another year of low single-digit growth in South Korea in 2024. Due to the slowdown in growth in the dog population, and the economic downturn, there have been low growth…

Oral care saw even stronger current value growth in South Korea in 2023 than in the previous few years. Consumer awareness of oral hygiene continues to grow, contributing to the healthy growth of the category in this year. Most categories within oral…

Convenience retailers maintained dynamic growth in current value terms and in terms of outlet numbers in South Korea in 2023. The number of convenience retailers surpassed 50,000 in 2021, and this figure increased to nearly 60,000 in 2023. The…