[Reporter’s Notebook] Pokemon Bread Shortage... Are Ethics Being Bundled Too?

'Pok?mon Bread' by SPC Samlip displayed at a convenience store.

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Hyewon] The craze for ‘Ttibuseal’ has returned after 16 years.

Ttibuseal is a compound word combining the abbreviation of ‘tteotda butda’ (meaning ‘peel off and stick’) and ‘seal,’ which refers to stickers attached to letter envelopes. In the 1990s, these Ttibuseals were included with ‘Pokemon Bread’ made by a bakery company and were popular among elementary and middle school students at the time. Now, the main customer base has become the M generation in their 30s and 40s who have grown up. With increased purchasing power, they buy Pokemon Bread in large quantities to collect Ttibuseals, accelerating the shortage of Ttibuseals. Although the bakery company operates the Pokemon Bread production line 24 hours a day, the supply of Ttibuseals included with the bread cannot keep up with demand.

In front of convenience stores and department store food sections selling Pokemon Bread, an ‘open run’ phenomenon?usually seen only at luxury brand stores?is occurring. Bread priced at 1,500 won is selling online for three to four times that amount, and rare character Ttibuseals are traded on secondhand sites for 30,000 to 50,000 won.

Given this situation, some retail stores have raised the selling price of Pokemon Bread from the original 1,500 won to 1,800 won. As Pokemon Bread gains popularity, they aim to increase margins by raising prices.

The so-called ‘bundling sales,’ where low-selling products are bundled with Pokemon Bread, are also thriving. Recently, a photo was posted on an online community showing two packs of puffed snacks bundled with Pokemon Bread being sold for 6,500 won.

This seems reminiscent of the nationwide frenzy for Honey Butter Chips eight years ago. In 2014, Haitai Confectionery’s Honey Butter Chips gained popularity on social media for their ‘sweet and salty’ taste, causing a nationwide shortage. Even when bundled or sold at a premium, they were so scarce that a strange phenomenon occurred where only the Honey Butter Chip bags were sold, claiming ‘the scent remains.’

Under current Fair Trade laws, bundling sales are prohibited, but punishment is only possible if competition restriction is proven, making it difficult to penalize the bundling of Ttibuseals with Pokemon Bread. However, with cases of Pokemon Bread being misused as bait for crimes, no one can predict the long-term negative impact that the overheated popularity of Ttibuseals will have on distributors and manufacturers.

For store owners, bundling sales may bring momentary pleasure in terms of immediate profit. However, they must understand that it ultimately damages not only their own stores but also the image of the franchise headquarters and manufacturers.

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