As Chobok approaches, major supermarkets are launching discounts on health food ingredients such as fresh chicken, eel, and abalone. This initiative aims to cater to the growing demand for home-cooked or convenient health foods as dining out becomes more expensive.
According to industry sources on July 22, Emart and Lotte Mart will hold a week-long health food discount event from July 23 to 29, coinciding with Chobok on July 25.
Emart is offering domestic fresh chicken, priced at 3,627 won for 'one whole young chicken' and 9,748 won for 'native chicken soup.' Customers earning Shinsegae points can enjoy a 40% discount on 'antibiotic-free two young chickens.'
Seafood is also included in the discounts. Cleaned freshwater eel and live abalone from Wando will be 50% off for customers earning Shinsegae points, while domestic fresh shrimp will be sold at 3,280 won per 100 grams. Australian grain-fed chuck eye roll will be available for 1,990 won per 100 grams for point-earning customers.
To ease the burden of cooking, ready-to-eat health foods are also available. Emart's Kitchen Deli offers 'mung bean samgyetang' and 'two eel nutrition rice bowls' for 9,980 won each. 'King seasoned grilled eel' and 'eel gangjeong' are priced at 17,980 won and 12,980 won, respectively.
Lotte Mart is selling 'cooperative whole chicken for soup' at 5,592 won, with two types of refrigerated young chicken priced at 3,792 won each. From July 23 to 25, all room-temperature samgyetang will be 15% off with event card payments.
During the same period, 'Cooking Strengthened Island Chicken Soup' and 'Cooking Strengthened Domestic Whole Chicken Leg Soup' will be available at about 35% off for L.POINT members using event cards. 'One whole eel rice bowl' is priced at 5,990 won, while 'one plate of smoked duck' is 13,990 won.
Lotte Mart is also collaborating with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries for the 'Korea Seafood Festival,' offering a 20% discount on key seafood items such as cleaned freshwater eel, live abalone, and domestic fresh shrimp. Live abalone will receive an additional 50% discount for event card payments, and cleaned freshwater eel will also benefit from card discounts.
The increase in health food discounts at major supermarkets reflects a trend of consumers preparing health foods at home instead of dining out. Emart reported a 15.2% increase in sales of fresh chicken for soup from July 1 to 20 compared to the same period last year. Sales of Peacock's convenient samgyetang rose by 17.4%, while Kitchen Deli's eel products saw a 55.9% increase.
In addition to health foods, seasonal fruits, ready-to-eat meals, and rainy season household items are also included in the promotions. Emart is discounting grapes, sweet corn, and black rice watermelon, while Lotte Mart is offering discounts on seasonal fruits like tangerines, Shine Muscat grapes, and chamoe, as well as summer ready-to-eat meals like cold noodles and soba.
Jung Woo-jin, Emart's marketing manager, stated, "As dining out costs rise, there is an increasing demand for preparing health foods at home or enjoying them conveniently." Sim Young-jun, Lotte Mart's promotional marketing team leader, added, "We have prepared health foods and seasonal fresh products at reasonable prices ahead of Chobok."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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