People Afraid of COVID-19... Increased Sales of Masks and Self-Test Kits

GS25, Mask Sales Increase by 29.1%
Self-Test Kit Sales on the Rise
Online Mall Sales Similar to Last Year

Office worker Park Yong-jun (35) recently purchased additional masks and self-test kits from an online mall. This is because COVID-19 has not yet ended, and the risk of infection lurks everywhere. Park said, "I was very sick when I caught COVID-19," adding, "More people around me are getting reinfected, so I am being cautious."

Although the indoor mask-wearing mandate has been lifted in most facilities since the end of last month, most people still do not take off their masks. As a result, sales of masks and self-test kits continue to rise this year as well.

According to CU on the 20th, mask sales increased by 7.6% from last year between the 30th of last month and the 12th of this month. During the same period, sales at GS25 rose by 29.1%, and at 7-Eleven by 30%. This is analyzed to be because, although mask-wearing is now a personal choice, the habit has become ingrained, and people feel hesitant to take them off prematurely.

Sales of self-test kits are also not declining. At CU, self-test kit sales increased by 33% compared to last year, 16.1% at GS25, and 120% at 7-Eleven. Currently, about 33,800 convenience stores, approximately 67% of the total 50,000 stores, have registered as medical device sellers. CU has about 12,000 stores, GS25 about 12,000, 7-Eleven about 8,000, and Emart24 about 1,800 stores selling self-test kits. Each company provides services through their own applications (apps) to allow customers to check store locations and inventory.

Convenience stores are also holding discount events for quarantine supplies. CU sells COVID home tests for 8,000 won and offers a 1+1 deal on 16 types of masks. GS25 runs a 2+1 event for Rapigen self-test kits and offers a 2,000 won discount on OHC and Wells Bio products. 7-Eleven offers a 2+1 event for Humasis and a 2,000 won discount on SD Bio products.

Customers are purchasing self-test kits at CU.
Photo by BGF Retail

Major online malls report that sales of masks and self-test kits are at similar levels to last year. According to Gmarket, 11st, and SSG.com, sales figures by item have slightly increased or decreased compared to the previous year. Although the growth trend in quarantine supply sales is slowing, the transaction amount for self-test kits fluctuates monthly depending on the increase in new confirmed cases.

According to a survey conducted by the Korea Research ‘Opinion within Opinion’ team from the 27th to 30th of last month targeting 1,000 adults nationwide, 77% of respondents said they always or mostly wear masks in indoor multi-use facilities (47% always wear, 30% mostly wear).

An industry official said, "Currently, there is a social atmosphere of wearing masks, so sales are increasing," adding, "As the weather gets hotter and mask-wearing is fully lifted, sales are expected to gradually decrease."