Discounts on Food at Designated Convenience Stores for Coupon Use
Enhanced Benefits on Meat, Fresh Produce, and Ready Meals
Large Supermarkets Not Included in the Program Respond with Half-Price Sales
The retail industry is ramping up efforts to attract consumers ahead of the government's "Livelihood Recovery Consumer Coupon" distribution on July 21. Convenience store chains, where the coupons can be used, have prepared large-scale events featuring discounts on essential food items including fresh produce, bundled product deals, and point rewards. Meanwhile, large supermarkets, which are excluded from the coupon program, are launching aggressive lowest-price promotions on seasonal products to minimize customer attrition.
In front of a GS25 store, the OFC (Operations Manager), franchise owner, and consumer are posing while holding a poster for the Livelihood Recovery Consumer Coupon event. Provided by GS25
Convenience Store Benefits on Ramen, Meat, Ready Meals, and More
According to the retail industry on July 17, GS25, operated by GS Retail, will hold a special discount event called "Our Neighborhood Livelihood Recovery Convenience Store" to coincide with the coupon distribution period, offering practical benefits on food and daily necessities. The event is designed to boost domestic consumption, focusing on essential food items, fresh produce, and daily necessities.
For example, customers who pay with a partner card can receive a 25% discount on six private brand (PB) daily necessities such as the "Real Price" and "Hyeja" series, as well as 21 popular ramen products including cup and packet noodles. For ramen, the 25% discount is combined with a 2+1 promotion. In addition, 36 planned sets of fresh foods such as "1++ Hanwoo Value Pack 800G," Korean beef, beef ribs, eel, abalone, and daily necessities will be offered.
GS25 noted that during the 2020 emergency relief fund distribution, four of the top ten sales growth categories were meat products, and they expect the meat category to be popular again this time. In addition, over 1,700 products including snacks, alcoholic beverages, and ready meals will be included in giveaway and price discount promotions.
CU, operated by BGF Retail, has added new benefits to its ongoing large-scale liquor event and giveaway/discount promotions on over 400 products this month. These include bundle (multi-pack) purchases, card company partnership discounts, and Pocket CU point payback offers. Purchasing bundle packs of packet and cup ramen provides up to 33% off, and instant rice is sold at up to half price. Bundle purchases of CU's newly launched health supplements offer a 60% discount, and bundle purchases of bottled water offer up to 63% off.
For 36 of these products, an additional 25% discount is available when using a partner card. Customers who purchase over 100,000 won worth of about 120 Livelihood Recovery promotion products can participate in a point payback event, receiving up to 100,000 points. In addition, from July 22 to 26, five ready meal products such as fried chicken and yangjangpi, priced at the lowest level in the retail industry, will be sold in limited quantities for five days only.
7-Eleven, operated by Korea Seven, will also launch the "Livelihood Recovery Super Special Price Event" from July 21 through the end of August, focusing on special prices for daily necessities such as bottled water, ramen, and household goods. Fresh foods like eggs, tofu, bean sprouts, as well as laundry detergent, feminine hygiene products, and roll tissue will also be included in giveaway and discount promotions.
7-Eleven has prepared over 2,000 items for giveaway and discount events this month and next month. For 35 key items, an additional 20% discount is available when paying with a partner card. Twenty-seven planned special price products for parcel delivery, including Hanwoo health sets, Shine Muscat value sets, Koshihikari rice, and calf massagers, will also be offered.
Additionally, Emart24, a convenience store affiliated with Shinsegae Group, is offering a 30% discount on all bundle packet ramen products when purchased with a promotion card, and from July 24 to 31, special meat products such as LA galbi sets and black pork belly sets will be delivered for free by courier. Customers pay with the consumer coupon in-store and receive the products via courier. Throughout July, 3,097 products will be offered with 1+1 and 2+1 benefits. During late-night hours (9 p.m. to 2 a.m.), 46 products including all domestic PET beer, refrigerated side dishes, and imitation crab are available at a 30% discount with a promotion card, and CJ ONE points will be credited at 100 times the usual rate during this period.
Large Supermarkets Counter with Seasonal Food Discounts
Large supermarkets excluded from the consumer coupon program are focusing discounts on seasonal foods to retain grocery shoppers. Emart, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, is holding a "Nonghal" agricultural and livestock product discount support event for about three weeks starting today. In the first week, running until July 24, eight items?peaches, Geobong grapes, tomatoes, radishes, napa cabbage, cucumbers, onions, and chives?are selected for discounts. With Shinsegae Points, customers receive a 20% Emart discount plus an additional 20% from the ministry, making the final price 36% lower than the regular price. On July 20, in celebration of Chobok, "two domestic antibiotic-free young chickens (500g*2)" will be sold for 3,980 won, a 63% discount from the regular price when using a promotion card, which is 10 won cheaper than the Chobok event price from 10 years ago.
Homeplus is holding the "Homeplus NOW" summer super sale through July 30, offering up to 70% off about 28,000 products including fresh food, wine, water play items, summer bedding, and clothing. Until July 20, two young chickens are available for 3,663 won, and a special event for Chobok features special prices on stamina foods such as eel and octopus.
Additionally, Lotte Mart is holding the third phase of the "Lotte Red Festival" through July 25, offering fresh foods at up to half price. All Cheondo peaches and Shinbi peaches are available to L.Point members at a 50% discount, and all watermelons are offered at 10,000 won off. US chuck eye roll, brisket, and chuck flap tail (each 100g, chilled) are discounted by 40%. Furthermore, all "Marble Nine" Hanwoo beef products, selected by Lotte Mart's Hanwoo MD through direct auction and graded 1++(9), are available to L.Point members at a 40% discount.
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