GS25, Tylenol Sales Up 13.5%
Self-Test Kit Sales Rise Again
Impact of Mask Mandate Lifted
Office worker Dongwon Park (35) stopped by a convenience store on his way home from work to purchase Tylenol and a self-test kit. He suddenly experienced hoarseness and body aches. Park said, "With the recent lifting of the mask mandate and the increase in gatherings and outdoor activities, I think I let my guard down. I don't know if it's just a common cold or a COVID-19 reinfection. If my condition worsens, I will go to the hospital."
Recently, as quarantine measures such as mandatory mask-wearing and social distancing have been lifted, demand for over-the-counter medicines and self-test kits at convenience stores has been rising again. Although summer is just around the corner, respiratory illnesses such as influenza continue to spread unabated.
According to GS25 on the 26th, sales of over-the-counter medicines increased by 11.4% from the previous month between the 1st and 23rd of this month. Among these, Tylenol sales rose by 13.5%, and cold medicine sales increased by 9.7%. During the same period, CU saw an 8.9% increase in sales of Tylenol and cold medicines. Seven Eleven reported a 15% growth in over-the-counter medicine sales.
Sales of self-test kits are also on the rise again. At GS25, self-test kit sales increased by 13.7% compared to last month, and at CU, sales rose by 2.5%. GS25 carries four types, CU one type, Seven Eleven two types, and Emart24 one type of self-test kits. Prices range from 8,000 to 13,000 KRW for a pack of two.
Currently, self-test kits can only be sold at convenience stores registered as medical device sellers. GS25 sells self-test kits at about 12,000 stores, CU at about 12,000 stores, Seven Eleven at about 5,000 stores, and Emart24 at about 1,750 stores. Each company provides services through their own applications (apps) to help customers locate stores and check inventory.
The number of people seeking personal protective items has also slightly increased. At GS25, hand sanitizer sales rose by 6% compared to the previous month, and at CU, mask sales increased by 5.9%. Seven Eleven saw a 10% increase in sales of both hand sanitizers and masks.
According to the weekly infectious disease surveillance newsletter from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, between the 7th and 13th of this month, the number of patients showing influenza-like symptoms per 1,000 outpatients was 23.4. This figure is 4.8 times higher than the seasonal epidemic baseline (4.9) and represents a 26.5% increase from 18.5 four weeks ago. As of the 24th, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases was 19,080, and the number of critically ill patients was 173, marking the highest count in about three months.
A convenience store industry official said, "Due to COVID-19, seasonal changes, and spring pollen allergies, more people are seeking over-the-counter medicines and self-diagnostic kits. We are making every effort to secure inventory to provide customers with the products they need quickly and easily."
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