Last Year, Traditional Market Card Spending Increased by 34% Compared to Pre-COVID-19 Levels

The Highest Proportion of Visitors in Their 20s Among New Visitors

Last year, the number of visitors in their 20s to traditional markets nationwide increased, resulting in sales rising by more than 30% compared to the period before COVID-19.

KB Kookmin Card announced on the 18th the results of an analysis of credit and debit card consumption data, including sales status and consumer age groups, at traditional market franchise stores nationwide last year. This analysis was conducted on 57 million sales transactions from 89,000 traditional market franchise stores registered with the National Tax Service across the country.

Sales at traditional market franchise stores last year increased by 34% compared to 2019, before the implementation of social distancing due to COVID-19. Compared to 2022, sales rose by 8%. The number of users also increased by 25% compared to 2019 and by 6% compared to 2022. Among the members who visited the markets last year, 18% had not visited traditional markets in the past four years (2019?2022), indicating an increase in new visitors to the markets.

Cheongnyangni Traditional Market.

New visitors were predominantly in their 20s, accounting for 26%, and were found to use restaurants frequently. This was followed by those aged 60 and over at 21%, and those in their 50s at 20%. The number of sales transactions was highest in restaurants at 40%, followed by groceries at 22%, and agricultural, fishery, and livestock products at 19%, highlighting the prominence of restaurants.

Comparing last year's sales to 2019 by industry, sales increased in agricultural, fishery, and livestock products (63%), restaurants (44%), and groceries (33%). By region, sales increased in the metropolitan area (36%), metropolitan cities (32%), and provinces (32%), showing that sales at traditional market franchise stores increased across all regions compared to before COVID-19.

By age group, the sales proportion was highest among those in their 60s (40%), followed by those in their 50s (26%), 40s (17%), 30s (10%), and 20s (7%), indicating that the older the age group, the higher the sales proportion. Detailed sales proportions by age and sub-industry showed that those in their 20s and 30s had the highest proportions in coffee and beverages (26% and 22%, respectively), those in their 40s in snacks and light meals (21%), those in their 50s in processed foods (31%), and those aged 60 and over in agricultural products (48%).

A representative from KB Kookmin Card's Data Business Group said, “The appeal of traditional markets continues to attract attention,” adding, “We plan to continuously monitor consumption characteristics and trend changes in traditional markets to provide meaningful information that can help revitalize traditional markets and contribute to community development.”