Chuseok goes retro - fruit and meat selling quickly in S.Korea
With Chuseok less than two weeks away, supermarkets and department stores are once again filling the…With Chuseok less than two weeks away, supermarkets and department stores are once again filling their shelves with gift sets for the harvest festival. This year, shoppers are on the hunt for traditional favorites, agricultural goods and premium items.
Sending gift boxes to family and colleagues is a long-standing tradition for the Chuseok and New Year holidays in Korea. For decades, high-quality fruit like apples and pears and meat and fish like Korean beef were considered staple holiday presents. Their popularity waned in recent years as consumers shifted toward more exotic items like lobster and truffles.
Sales records of pre-orders at local retailers show that the old agricultural favorites are making a comeback this year. At Emart, which took pre-orders for its gift sets between Aug. 2 and Sept. 6, fruit was surprisingly popular - apples and pears sold 148.5 percent more than last year. Dried persimmon, a popular fall snack and a favorite Chuseok gift, also sold twice as many sets compared to last year.
According to koreajoongangdaily.joins.com, some retailers tried to pull in customers by offering unusual gift sets targeted at younger shoppers. Lotte Mart is selling avocado gift sets. A set of nine avocados will sell for ₩34,900 (€26.70) starting from Thursday. Galleria is offering gift sets filled with premium items for pets, like a leash from a luxury German brand and a leather bag. Prices range from ₩130,000 to 210,000 (€100-160).
