Watermelon Sales Jump 25% in May Rose Season... Summer Products Already in High Demand Due to Abnormal Heat

Popularity of Summer Fruit Watermelon and Ice Products in May
Early Summer New Product Launch and Pool Party Also in June
"Unusual High Temperatures Worldwide... Could Become a Common Scene"

As abnormal high-temperature phenomena continue, with midsummer weather exceeding 30 degrees Celsius, changes have occurred in the retail landscape in May. Consumers are increasingly seeking watermelons, a representative summer fruit that blooms in the season of roses, the "flower of May," and sales of summer staple products such as refreshing beverages and water play items have surged. In response to these changes, the retail industry has become busy. Summer shaved ice was launched half a month earlier than usual, and summer shoe pop-up stores opened about a month ahead of schedule. The timing of hotel pool parties, where guests enjoy performances at swimming pools, has also been moved up to early June.

According to the distribution industry on the 23rd, as daytime temperatures rose close to 30 degrees Celsius and summer-like heat intensified from mid-May, ice products sold like hotcakes at convenience stores. At GS25, sales of bagged ice from the 15th to the 21st increased by 86.3% compared to the same period last year, with cup ice (74.2%) and ice cream (47.3%) sales also rising noticeably. At CU, during the same period, sales growth rates compared to the previous month were steep for items frequently sought in the heat, such as iced drinks (72.7%), ice (72.3%), ice cream (47.1%), and bottled water (25.4%). At Seven Eleven, sales of seasonal items such as portable fans, cool sleeves, and swimming shorts surged by 920% compared to the same period last year in preparation for summer.

Models are showcasing the main products of the new summer-focused brand 'Kakatos' at the BOUNDERSHOP shoe store in Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam branch.
[Photo by Shinsegae Department Store].

During the same period, demand for summer fruits and summer home appliances also increased significantly at large supermarkets. Homeplus, which quickly prepared watermelon promotions due to warmer-than-average weather, saw watermelon sales increase by 25% from the same period last year between the 15th and 21st. Lotte Mart also experienced a 10% increase in watermelon sales. More customers came out earlier than usual to prepare for summer home appliances due to the heat. At Emart, sales of fans (162%) and circulators (97.7%) jumped significantly, and Homeplus also saw a surge in sales of fans (217%) and air conditioners (140%). Sales of water play items also increased greatly. At Emart, water-related products such as goggles and aqua shoes recorded 125.0%, and swimsuits 17.6%, while at Lotte Mart, overall sales of summer items including swimsuits, goggles, and camping iceboxes grew by about 50%.

As customers responded quickly to the early heat, the retail industry busily switched to summer clothing. At department stores, summer shoes such as sandals were prominently displayed a month earlier. Shinsegae Department Store, noting that summer shoe sales from last month to mid-this month nearly reached 90% of the peak sales in July and August, opened a summer sandal pop-up store up to one month earlier and swiftly introduced new brands. The launch of new summer products was also brought forward by half a month. CU released a premium shaved ice called 'Cheongdo Hongsi Bingsu,' made with persimmons from Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongbuk, about half a month earlier than usual, strengthening its ice cream lineup, and from this month, it has been introducing small summer home appliances such as turbine mini fans, neck coolers, and camping fans.

CU is introducing a premium shaved ice new product, 'Cheongdo Hongsi Bingsu,' made with Hongsi persimmons from Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongbuk [Photo by CU].

The hotel industry has also begun early summer preparations. With the full-scale endemic summer approaching, the popular hotel pool party season has been moved up to early June. Dragon City will hold a pool party, a representative summer content of the hotel, at the entertainment pub 'King's Vacation,' which features a mini pool and DJ booth, on the 2nd of next month. This "midsummer party," where guests enjoy performances, DJing, and alcoholic beverages while playing in the pool, was held from late July to early August last year but has been moved earlier this year. In addition, hotels are rushing to introduce "early summer" products, including hotel shaved ice packages, targeting those who want to enjoy a hotel staycation while avoiding the summer peak season crowds due to the early heat.

Not only domestically, but also in countries around the world such as Spain, Singapore, and Vietnam, abnormal high-temperature phenomena are rampant, and the unusual trend of "watermelons selling well in the season of roses" is expected to continue in the future. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recently reported that there is a 66% chance that global temperatures from 2023 to 2027 will rise more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. It also explained that there is a 98% chance that the Earth will record the highest temperatures ever during this period. The distribution industry also views this year's situation not as an anomaly but as a possible future trend and plans to prepare and launch products and services applying an earlier seasonal sense than usual.