The Return of Wine Season... Convenience Stores Launch Full-Scale Year-End Sales Battle

About 30% of Annual Sales in November-December
GS25's Wine Sales Up 72.5% This Year
Market Targeted with Discount Events This Month

A customer is purchasing wine at the convenience store GS25. (Photo by GS Retail)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Chun-han] As the peak wine season approaches at the end of the year, the convenience store industry has launched an all-out battle. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the home drinking culture has spread, leading to record-high wine sales.

According to the industry on the 5th, wine sales from November to December last year accounted for about 30% of the total annual sales at the four major convenience stores. This is attributed to major holidays such as Pepero Day and Christmas being concentrated at the end of the year. At CU, wine sales during the last two months of last year accounted for 28% of total sales, GS25 recorded 30.1%, and Emart24 reported 28%.

Following last year, wine remains explosively popular this year as well. According to customs import-export trade statistics, wine import values were $260 million in 2019, $330 million in 2020, $559.81 million in 2021, and $482.75 million from January to October this year. Convenience store wine sales are also rapidly growing. At CU, wine sales from January to November this year increased by 18.7% compared to the same period last year. During the same period, GS25 saw a 72.5% increase, Seven Eleven 80%, and Emart24 16% growth.

As wine has become a major product in convenience stores, the variety of items is gradually expanding. Prices range widely from 3,000 won to several tens of millions of won. The lowest-priced wines currently sold in convenience stores are CU’s half-bottle wine "Kasho" (360ml) and Emart24’s "Latita Tinto de Verano" and "Latita Sangria Blanca" (330ml), each priced at 3,000 won. The highest-priced wine is the French Grand Cru Collection 2006 sold at GS25, priced at 25.5 million won.

Convenience stores have started full-scale discount events this month. CU offers up to 43% discounts when purchasing two or more bottles of its own wine brand "mmm!" and applies bulk purchase discounts on the half-bottle Kasho wine. GS25 is holding a special event offering up to 50% off on 11 types of champagne, sparkling, and white wines, and up to 27% discounts on 30 types of wines when buying two or more bottles. Seven Eleven provides a 20% discount when paying with KakaoPay from Friday to Sunday and a 30% discount when paying with KB Pay. Emart24 offers discounted prices on La Crasade Cabernet Syrah, Chardonnay, and Two Socks Jumper Dear Riesling, among others.

An industry official said, "As wine consumption increases significantly and import distribution channels diversify, there are more opportunities to offer wines at reasonable prices," adding, "With various events and gatherings increasing toward the end of the year, wine sales are expected to rise."

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