From Value-Oriented Items to Gifts Worth Tens of Millions of Won: Food and Retail Industries Vie for Chuseok Gift Sales

[Financial News] As high prices and high interest rates persist, dampening consumer sentiment, competition among food and retail companies to attract customers is intensifying ahead of the Chuseok holiday.
Companies are mounting an all-out effort to expand their market share during the holiday shopping season, with product offerings becoming increasingly polarized—from value-oriented daily necessities sets that maximize cost-effectiveness to ultra-high-priced premium gifts with strong scarcity value.
According to industry sources on the ninth, the defining keyword for this year’s Chuseok marketing is “consumer polarization.” This reflects the clear rise of both budget-conscious consumers who prioritize reasonable prices and practicality, and premium shoppers who want to express their sentiments with the finest gifts during the holiday.
CJ CheilJedang is launching a record 260 types of gift sets for Chuseok. In response to increasingly diverse preferences for holiday gifts, the company has strengthened its premium gift-set lineup and expanded its processed-food-centered gift-set category to include fresh foods.
The premium product lineup features the tuna brand Calvo. The company has prepared standalone sets containing Calvo sunflower-oil tuna or olive-oil tuna, as well as combination sets featuring SPAM and Calvo tuna. CJ CheilJedang plans to expand its seafood product lineup, including tuna, in future gift sets.
Daesang’s Chung Jung One has developed a range of prices and product configurations, from value-oriented options to high-end premium products. It has prepared comprehensive sets containing seasonings, sauces, cooking oils and canned ham that are highly useful in everyday life. Its premium lineup includes a sesame-oil roasting selection and a set featuring three olive oils made from different varieties: Arbequina, Hojiblanca and Picual.
Dongwon F&B has prepared about 110 types of Chuseok gift sets this year. The number of gift sets centered on high-protein tuna products has also increased by about 20%.
Retailers are seeking to expand demand for Chuseok gifts through value-oriented products and aggressive early-booking benefits. In particular, they are targeting demand for high-priced premium goods with special lineups costing tens of millions of won.
CU has added a 31 million won bipedal humanoid robot, a 3.99 million won robotic dog and a 2.7 million won massage chair to its lineup of about 710 gift-set items this year. GS25 is selling LiKU, a social robot that recognizes users’ emotions and responds with facial expressions and movements, for 5.5 million won, and SenseRobot Go, a Go-playing robot, for 1.58 million won. Hyundai Department Store has prepared 120,000 Korean beef gift sets for Chuseok this year, 10% more than last year. It is the largest scale ever.
Department stores have lowered the price barrier by expanding their product categories and strengthening early-booking benefits. Shinsegae Department Store increased its early-booking offerings by 25% year on year to about 370 items, expanding beyond agricultural, livestock and seafood products to include Korean cuisine, alcoholic beverages, desserts and health foods. Hyundai Department Store expanded its lineup beyond traditional foods to include beauty products, home appliances and tableware. Lotte Department Store is offering discounts of up to 50% on early-booking products.
An industry official forecast, “This year’s Chuseok is one in which sharply divided consumption trends—value and premium—coexist. Analyzing customers’ diversified needs, stabilizing the supply of cost-effective products and differentiating the premium lineup at the same time will be the key to determining success during the holiday shopping season.”
[email protected] Kim Seo-yeon Reporter