Canned Food Sales Quadruple in 1 Hour... Middle-Aged Buyers with 5th Republic Experience Stockpiling

Confusion in Distribution Industry Amid Martial Law Turmoil
Some Group Companies Seek to Adapt to Environmental Changes
Temporary Increase in Convenience Store Daily Necessities Sales
Year-End Special Demand Hopes Dampened...Careful Monitoring of Aftermath

A person purchasing convenience store ready-to-eat meals. Photo by Yonhap News

President Yoon Suk-yeol declared martial law on the night of the 3rd but lifted it after six hours, prompting the distribution industry to closely monitor the resulting repercussions. Amid heightened concerns due to the economic downturn and internal sluggishness, there is apprehension that this incident might further dampen year-end consumer sentiment. Some sectors of the industry held emergency meetings to explore future response measures or actively monitored related situations online. In convenience stores and e-commerce, there were also signs of consumers stockpiling goods out of concern for the emergency situation.

Exploring Response Measures for Online and Offline Channels

A ramen display at a large supermarket in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

According to related industries on the 4th, Shinsegae Group held an emergency inspection meeting in the morning, chaired by the group’s strategy office, including affiliated companies. It was reported that they reviewed the current situation to see if the sudden environmental changes would affect business operations. Group companies such as Lotte and Hyundai Department Store did not hold separate meetings but carefully observed the industry atmosphere amid the chaotic political situation overnight.

Large supermarkets and corporate supermarkets (SSM) also started their operations in the morning while monitoring whether the previous night’s turmoil would impact sales. An industry insider said, "Since the related situation was lifted overnight, there were no unusual issues identified in morning store operations."

The convenience store industry also discussed response measures by sharing news about the martial law via messengers overnight among executives and key staff and activating emergency contact networks.

Additionally, the beauty and duty-free industries, which heavily rely on foreign tourists visiting Korea, are on high alert for impacts from domestic political instability. An industry official said, "Currently, there does not seem to be a significant immediate impact on sales from foreign visitors in Korea," but added, "If the number of foreign visitors decreases due to this incident, the effects may appear with a time lag."

Canned Goods Sales Quadruple, Signs of Stockpiling Daily Necessities

Unexpected martial law led to a temporary surge in demand for daily necessities, especially in convenience stores that operate during early morning hours. An analysis of sales at convenience store A nationwide from 11 p.m. on the 3rd for one hour showed that canned goods sales increased more than fourfold (337.3%) compared to the same time slot on the same weekday the previous week. Other items with high sales growth rates included ▲bagged noodles 253.8%, ▲bottled water 141%, ▲instant rice 128.6%, ▲batteries 40.6%, and ▲over-the-counter emergency medicines 39.5%.

During the same time frame, other convenience store chains also experienced stockpiling of daily necessities. At convenience store B, canned goods sales rose 75.9% compared to the same weekday and time the previous week, with increases in ▲instant rice 38.2%, ▲bottled water 37.4%, ▲ramen 28.1%, and ▲batteries 25.7%. Convenience store C also recorded sales growth of ▲instant rice 70%, ▲ramen 50%, and ▲bottled water 40%.

This sales surge appears to have been driven by middle-aged and older customers who experienced martial law during the military regime. A convenience store industry official said, "Purchases of daily necessities temporarily increased mainly at convenience stores in residential areas," adding, "According to on-site staff and store employees, demand was high among customers in their 50s and 60s."

President Yoon Suk-yeol announced in an emergency address early on the 4th that the martial law declared last night will be lifted, while citizens who were anxious throughout the night are watching the breaking news about the martial law on TV. Photo by Jo Yong-jun

E-commerce Sees Sharp Rise in Searches for Ramen, Instant Rice, and Bottled Water

Not only convenience stores but also e-commerce platforms saw a significant increase in orders for daily necessities such as bottled water, ramen, rice, and diapers compared to usual. On some online channels, ramen, instant rice, and bottled water ranked among the top popular search terms during early morning hours. Online communities featured consumer reviews reporting bulk purchases of ramen and diapers from nearby convenience stores or through online orders following the announcement of martial law.

Both online and offline distribution sectors are concerned that while the martial law incident may not immediately affect sales or logistics, political responsibility disputes could intensify later, potentially causing aftershocks. An industry insider said, "With Christmas and year-end approaching, the distribution industry is fighting hard to attract customers through discount events and large-scale promotions, so an unexpected variable has emerged," adding, "We worry that already frozen consumer sentiment might shrink further."