2023 Distribution Barometer... Consumption Expiration Date Labeling and Weekday Closures of Marts

Expiration Date Labeling... Large Marts in Daegu and Others Closed on Weekdays
Disposable Items Guidance Period Ends... Fines from November Next Year
Cigarette Pack Warning Images Changed... Up to 2 Bottles of Duty-Free Alcohol in Jeju

The year 2023, the 'Year of the Black Rabbit,' is just three days away. Significant changes are expected in the distribution industry next year. The expiration date displayed on food packaging will be replaced by the consumption period for the first time in 38 years, which is expected to reduce consumer confusion about the consumption period. The mandatory closure of large supermarkets, which has lasted for over a decade, and online delivery are also reaching a turning point. Additionally, with the end of the grace period for the ban on disposable items, changes are anticipated in how restaurants, cafes, and convenience stores are used.

◆From Expiration Date to Consumption Period after 38 Years

Starting January 1 next year, the expiration date displayed on food packaging will be changed to the consumption period. This is the first change in 38 years since the expiration date was introduced in 1985. The expiration date indicates the period during which manufacturers and distributors can sell the food after production and packaging, while the consumption period refers to the period during which consumers can safely consume the food if they follow the storage instructions indicated on the packaging.

The consumption period will apply from the date of manufacture, processing, or shipment for import after the enforcement date. Until December 31 next year, a grace period will be granted, allowing the use of packaging displaying the existing expiration date. Refrigerated milk products, except processed and fermented milk, will adopt the consumption period from January 1, 2031, to secure response time for the dairy and milk processing industry and improve refrigerated distribution environments. According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Food Industry Association's Consumption Period Research Center, the recommended consumption period displayed on food in the future is expected to be about 70-90% of the quality safety limit date (the period during which the quality of the food is maintained from the perspective of food safety after manufacturing and packaging). The expiration date was generally set at 50-70% of the quality safety limit period.

◆Large Supermarkets at a Turning Point: Mandatory Closures and Early Morning Delivery

Daegu City plans to change the mandatory closure days of large supermarkets to weekdays within the first quarter of next year. There is growing interest in whether this movement will spread to other local governments. On the 19th, Daegu City signed an agreement with large and small distribution industries titled 'Promotion of Changing Large Supermarket Mandatory Closure Days to Weekdays for Regional Distribution Development and Consumer Convenience Improvement.' Currently, 51 local governments, including Goyang, Namyangju, and Anyang, have mandatory closure days for large supermarkets that include weekdays.

The government is easing regulations that prohibit online delivery during early morning hours and mandatory closure days for large supermarkets. Currently, under the Distribution Industry Development Act, large supermarkets are restricted to two mandatory closure Sundays per month and are prohibited from operating during early morning hours (midnight to 10 a.m.). The Large and Small Distribution Win-Win Council, composed of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the National Federation of Merchants, and the Korea Chain Store Association, has signed a win-win agreement to jointly work toward allowing online delivery during early morning hours and mandatory closure days for large supermarkets.

A citizen is shopping at a large supermarket in downtown Seoul. Photo by Asia Economy

◆End of Grace Period for Disposable Items; Fines Imposed for Use

The 'ban on disposable items,' which sparked heated debate even after its implementation this year, will see its grace period end on November 23 next year. Since the 24th of last month, the Ministry of Environment has prohibited the use of disposable items such as paper cups and plastic straws in restaurants, cafes, convenience stores, and other places nationwide. Paper cups, plastic straws, and stirring sticks (banned in cafes and restaurants) cannot be used, and plastic bags can no longer be purchased at convenience stores and supermarkets. Disposable plastic cheering items are also banned. Umbrella plastic covers are prohibited in large-scale stores.

The government plans to impose fines starting November 24 next year after a one-year grace period. According to Article 41, Paragraph 2, Subparagraph 3 of the Resource Recycling Act, a fine of up to 3 million KRW will be imposed on those who use disposable items without complying with the usage standards or provide them free of charge.

◆Jeju Travel: Duty-Free Liquor Limit Increased to '2 Bottles'

The quantity of duty-free liquor that travelers to Jeju Island can purchase will also increase. Starting next year, the purchase limit at Jeju duty-free shops will be raised from 600 dollars to 800 dollars, and the duty-free limit for liquor will expand from 1 bottle (1 liter, under 400 dollars) to 2 bottles (2 liters, under 400 dollars each). However, the duty-free limit for cigarettes remains unchanged at 200 cigarettes (1 carton). The government previously explained, "While maintaining the current duty-free amount limit, we have expanded consumers' choices when purchasing liquor," adding, "Most of the popular liquor types purchased by travelers are priced around 200 dollars."

This increase in purchase limits is expected to significantly boost sales at the Jeju International Free City Development Center (JDC), which operates designated duty-free shops in Jeju. In the first half of this year, JDC duty-free shop sales reached 351.949 billion KRW, a 22% increase compared to the same period last year (294.321 billion KRW), which was a record high. This level approaches the annual sales of 358.7 billion KRW recorded in 2012.

A staff member at a convenience store in Jongno-gu, Seoul, is holding a cigarette pack with a smoking warning image. Photo by Yonhap News

◆New Cigarette Pack Warning Images Emphasize Health Risks and Possible Diseases

The fourth series of cigarette pack warning images and texts have been newly applied since the 23rd. Of the 12 types, 11 have been changed except for one liquid-type electronic cigarette image, with greater emphasis on health risks and possible diseases than before. The warning image on secondhand smoke changed from a picture of a child holding their nose in cigarette smoke to an image of a baby being fed a bottle filled with cigarette butts. The image related to premature death changed from a portrait photo of a smoking man to an image depicting the smoker's face made of smoke.

The warning texts for 10 types of conventional cigarettes out of 12 were replaced from 'numerical presentation' to 'disease emphasis.' Previously, the risk of disease occurrence was presented numerically, but the revised texts succinctly express the names of diseases and health risks caused by smoking, emphasizing the diseases. The replacement of warning images and texts aims to prevent familiarity with existing images and texts and enhance the warning effect. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and others finalized these warning texts through public effectiveness evaluations, discussions by the Smoking Cessation Policy Expert Committee, and deliberations by the National Health Promotion Policy Deliberation Committee.

Experts view these changes in the distribution industry next year as generally positive, as they enhance consumer convenience. Regarding the ban on disposable items, while it is an unavoidable measure to prevent the environment from deteriorating more rapidly, excessive restrictions may cause side effects. Professor Eunhee Lee of Inha University's Department of Consumer Studies said, "The shift to the consumption period is positive in that it can reduce food waste caused by consumers discarding food after the expiration date and reduce confusion through clear understanding of the consumption period," adding, "It will be necessary for local government food hygiene departments to inspect and support cold chain management during distribution at small supermarkets and the like."

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