Shinsegae Department Store Reports 41% Increase in Wine Sales Last Year

Directly Designed 'Wine Carrier' and Related Accessories Also Popular
Wine Supply Increased by 15% in Lunar New Year Gift Sets

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Min-young] In line with the year-long stay-at-home trend, more people have started enjoying 'home drinking.' Among them, wine has especially enjoyed an unexpected heyday, breaking last year's record for the highest import value ever.

According to Shinsegae Department Store on the 10th, an analysis of last year's liquor sales showed that wine sales increased by 41.1% compared to the previous year. In particular, December, when social distancing measures were intensified, saw an increase of more than 66.2% compared to the same period. Wine sales growth was more remarkable than other liquors. Over the past year, traditional liquor recorded a growth rate of 22.1%, spirits such as whiskey grew by 6.9%, and imported beer remained in the 0% range.

The department store explained, "For light enjoyment at home, low-alcohol beverages are often more suitable than high-alcohol ones, and the relaxation of liquor regulations allowing online smart orders has also boosted wine's popularity." Smart Order is a method where customers order and pay for desired products online in advance and then pick them up at offline stores. Shinsegae Department Store has been implementing this service in collaboration with SSG.com since April. As more customers prefer contactless shopping, they plan to gradually expand related product categories.

As wine gains popularity, related accessories are also benefiting. To welcome the New Year, Shinsegae Department Store launched a self-designed ‘Wine Carrier.’ It not only safely and conveniently holds wine but is also made of leather to enhance its elegance. It was first released on a trial basis last December and sold out completely. The price is 58,000 KRW.

Wine is also popular in Shinsegae Department Store’s holiday catalogs. Among last Chuseok gifts, the wine and liquor category showed a demand increase of 60.1% compared to the previous year. Ahead of Seollal, Shinsegae increased wine stock by about 15%. They carefully selected products ranging from exclusive items introduced this year to popular products under 100,000 KRW. They assist customers’ choices by offering premium wine sets with high scores from world-renowned wine institutions such as Robert Parker and James Suckling, categorized by price range. For the first time, they also prepared canned wine sets targeting camping enthusiasts. Representative products include Iggal C?te R?tie La Landonne 16 at 990,000 KRW, Toura Rita Per Sempre Syrah 17 at 390,000 KRW, Alta Vista Alto 15 at 220,000 KRW, and South France Half Wine Collection at 80,000 KRW.

They also present a richer selection of wine accessories than in previous years. The lineup includes decanters, openers, wine glasses, as well as wine racks and champagne coolers for better storage. Representative products include Riedel Black Tie Smile Decanter at 250,000 KRW, Backsella Wine Rack at 380,000 KRW, Saint-Louis Apollo Champagne Glass at 258,000 KRW, and Parrot Frost Wine Opener at 108,000 KRW.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.