[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] Market Kurly announced on the 3rd that an analysis of product sales over three weeks from July 12, when the heatwave continued, to August 1 showed a significant increase in sales of 'home fitness' products for enjoying exercise in a cool home and 'no-fire' foods that can be easily cooked without fire.
The product category with the highest increase was health care products, with sales rising by 98%. Sales of the 'Igojin' balancing board, which helps develop core muscles through balance training, surged by 655%, and sales of the stepper twist, which allows aerobic exercise while watching TV, also increased by 251%. Market Kurly analyzed that due to the hot weather making outdoor exercise difficult, more people are managing their health at home using simple exercise equipment.
Among foods during the same period, the product category with the highest sales increase was chicken breast, which rose by 36%. It is analyzed that more people are eating chicken breast to manage weight gained due to reduced outdoor activities caused by the heat and COVID-19. Market Kurly explained that chicken breast is rich in protein that forms muscles, making it effective for dieting, and it is even more popular because it can be enjoyed with no-fire appliances such as microwaves or air fryers.
Among 'no-fire' foods, the product with the highest sales increase was the 'Haecho Miin' slim kelp noodles, which showed a 107% increase. The 'Bibigo' frozen noodles, which can be eaten after thawing for just one minute under running water, also saw a 56% increase in sales. Sales of convenient foods such as salads, sandwiches, and lunch boxes that can be simply warmed without fire increased by 54%, gaining popularity. On the other hand, sales of hot foods such as soups, stews, and jjigae decreased by 25%. Sales of jeon (Korean pancakes) and fried foods, which require grilling or frying, also decreased by 28%, and sales of makchang and gopchang, which taste best when grilled, decreased by 20%, indicating that people tend to avoid cooking with fire in hot weather.
Sales of beverages that immediately quench thirst increased by 20%. Sales of bottled water and sparkling water increased by 22%, showing the highest sales growth among beverages, and coffee sales increased by 21%, ranking second by a narrow margin. Among coffees, the 'Coffee Bean' hazelnut pouch product, which can be stored cold in the refrigerator and consumed by simply opening the pouch, saw a 47% increase in sales, rising seven ranks from 10th place in the previous three weeks to 3rd place in overall sales rankings.
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