Hundreds Flock to Famous Bakeries for 'Half-Price' Bread... 220,000 Users on 'LuckyMeal' [The Secret of Bread Prices]

Popularity of Half-Price Purchases Through End-of-Day Discount Apps
Store Owners Reduce Food Waste, Consumers Enjoy 50% Discounts
Rapid Growth in Users of Apps Like LuckyMeal and MaramHero

Editor's NoteAccording to the consumer price trends published by Statistics Korea, in May, the price of processed foods rose by 4.1% year-on-year, while bread prices surged by 6.4%. The bread consumer price index reached 138.48, which is a 38.48% increase over five years compared to the base year of 2020 (100). This increase is steeper than that of tteokbokki or fried chicken, both of which are beloved snacks in Korea. Bread, once a snack enjoyed by everyone, has now become something people hesitate to choose due to its high price. How did the price of bread in Korea end up rising so sharply?

"Because I can buy the same bread for half the price, the burden is much less."

Applications (apps) that broker end-of-day discounts, allowing consumers to purchase expensive bread at lower prices without separate discount coupons, are gaining popularity. By using these end-of-day discount apps, consumers can buy bread or desserts produced that day but unsold by closing time at discounts of over 50%. For stores, selling products at a discount that would otherwise be discarded helps reduce losses, and for consumers, it provides an opportunity to buy products at reasonable prices, creating a mutually beneficial structure.

Breads purchased for 7,400 won through the LuckyMeal app. Photo by Midam Heo damdam@

On the evening of July 8, the reporter purchased various breads worth 15,000 won for half the price?7,400 won?through the LuckyMeal end-of-day discount app at a bakery in Yangcheon District, Seoul. Because the product selection is based on leftover stock, the exact types included are unknown until pickup, but since it was a frequently visited store, the reporter had a general idea of the bread selection and taste.

Depending on the store's inventory, a reservation cancellation message may appear, but this does not happen frequently. When visiting the store at the reserved time, a bag filled with a variety of breads was ready. Inside were a total of four breads: two bagels, one salt bread, and one cube loaf. The price per bread was about 1,850 won, less than 2,000 won each. Normally, two bagels would cost 9,000 won, salt bread 3,300 won, and a cube loaf 4,300 won, totaling 16,600 won.

The bakery owner said, "I happened to learn about the end-of-day discount app and have been participating for two months now. Since we sell at half price, it's hard to expect a profit, but selling at a discount, even if it's cheap, is more helpful for store operations than having leftover stock."

Although there are restrictions such as not being able to choose the specific products and having to visit the store during designated time slots, more and more consumers are willing to accept these conditions due to the low prices. Especially for popular bakeries, hundreds of people sign up for notifications about the start of end-of-day discounts, leading to what is known as the 'bbang-keting' (bread + ticketing) phenomenon. As word spread, LuckyMeal secured about 220,000 users within a year of its launch, and the MaramHero app also recently surpassed 10,000 downloads on the Play Store, further spreading through word of mouth.

Stores partnered with LuckyMeal. LuckyMeal app

Consumers are also expressing satisfaction with the reasonable prices. App reviews are filled with praise such as, "It's great that I can enjoy delicious bread at a low price while also being environmentally conscious," "I like the random selection because I can try breads I wouldn't normally eat at a cheaper price," "I'm happy that I can eat from my favorite bakery at such a low price and will try again next time," and "I bought three breads for 2,900 won?an unbelievable deal."

Kang (32), who frequently uses end-of-day discount apps, said, "I used to worry about the price even when buying a single bread, but now, as long as I time it right for the discount period, I can buy without hesitation and am very satisfied. Now, it feels like a waste to pay full price for bread." Kang added, "Even if the store is a bit far from home, the prices are so cheap that I go out of my way to visit. The price satisfaction is so high that I plan to keep using it in the future."

Positive responses are coming not only from consumers but also from sellers. This is because it helps reduce the burden of discarding unsold products, which is also beneficial for the environment.

Kim Minki (35), who runs the bakery 'Bakeknead' in Seodaemun District, Seoul, said, "In the past, I had no choice but to throw away leftover bread, which was bad for the environment and always felt wasteful. Now, I sell unsold products through end-of-day discount apps without any profit margin. I started participating last year, and compared to a year ago, the number of partner stores has increased, the types of participating businesses have diversified, and the number of users has grown, making it easier to sell."