"No Break During Holiday Season"... Convenience Stores Targeting 'Honsuljok' and 'Gwipojok'

Increased Customers Avoiding Returning Home Due to Strengthened Social Distancing Measures
Expanding Lunchbox and Ready Meal Items Along with Alcohol and Snacks

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Most convenience stores nationwide will remain open during this Lunar New Year holiday period. Since the introduction of the 'Holiday Free Leave System' in the convenience store industry in 2019, franchise stores have been allowed to close freely during Lunar New Year or Chuseok holidays. However, this year, with more consumers choosing not to return to their hometowns due to COVID-19, store owners opted to stay open to capture the holiday sales surge instead of closing.

Convenience Store Customers Increase as Homecomings Decrease Due to Ban on Gatherings of Five or More

According to GS Retail on the 11th, about 1,100 GS25 stores applied for holiday closure this Lunar New Year. Only about 7% of the total 14,500 GS25 stores will close on the holiday itself.

CU plans to close around 1,500 stores, approximately 10% of its outlets, on Lunar New Year’s Day. Seven Eleven will close about 700 stores, roughly 7% of its total, for at least one day during the holiday, which is 50 fewer stores than last year’s Lunar New Year.

For Emart24, about 26%, or around 1,400 franchise stores, will not operate on Lunar New Year’s Day, also fewer than in previous years’ Chuseok holidays.

Typically, during holiday periods, some franchise owners choose to close their stores to visit their hometowns or due to decreased sales during the holidays. However, the increase in convenience stores open during this Lunar New Year is attributed to social distancing measures reducing the number of homecoming travelers, leading more people to stay home and visit nearby convenience stores.

According to Seven Eleven, during last year’s Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays, thanks to the 'Honsoljok' (people spending Lunar New Year alone) and 'Gwipojok' (people who gave up returning home), sales of convenience store lunch boxes increased by 35.0% compared to the previous year. Ready-to-eat meals targeting the holiday season also gained popularity, with sales of home meal replacements (HMR) and frozen ready meals rising by about 15%.

Expanding Lunch Box and Ready Meal Selections Targeting 'Honsoljok' and 'Honmyeongjok'

The convenience store industry is focusing on capturing the Lunar New Year sales by strengthening lunch box offerings instead of closing stores, and expanding Valentine’s Day product selections that coincide with the holiday period.

GS25 has released the 'Saehae Bok Mani Badeuso' lunch box again this year for those spending Lunar New Year alone. It contains eight side dishes such as beef bulgogi, assorted jeon (Korean pancakes), and japchae, increasing the lunch box weight by 20% compared to regular lunch boxes. They have also increased the stock of essential emergency medicines for urgent needs during the holiday.

CU launched the 'Year of the Ox Ready Meal Series' targeting consumers spending the holiday alone, featuring pasta, hamburgers, sandwiches, and French fries.

Emart24 introduced lunch boxes with traditional holiday foods like rice cake soup (tteokguk) and dumplings. By adding hot water and heating in a microwave, they can be easily enjoyed. During the holiday, Emart24 is also offering its signature beer 'Saranghae White Ale' and representative wines at discounts ranging from 20% to 50% off, perfect for couples and families.

Seven Eleven collaborated with actress Kim Soo-mi, an icon of home-cooked meals, to launch four types of lunch boxes containing assorted jeon, braised pork ribs, japchae, and more.

Kim Ha-young, MD of Seven Eleven’s Food Team, said, "With strong social distancing measures continuing throughout the holiday period due to COVID-19, demand for convenience store ready meals is expected to grow even more. We have released a variety of products across different categories so that people can enjoy festive foods easily and abundantly even when alone."

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