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[120] 2014.09.05
-The average expense for preparing food for an ancestral memorial rite: 227,625 won (for a 4-member family) -It costs 50,000-60,000 won less to use a traditional market or neighborhood grocery stores than a large supermarket chain to buy things needed for the rite. -All walleye pollock and dried pollock sold in grocery markets are of Russian origin. Most green bean sprouts are imported.

 

#701 Seoul YWCA 20, Myeong-dong 11-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, Korea
TEL.: 82-2-774-4050/FAX: 82-2-774-4090
 
Press Release
 
Date
: Sept. 5, 2014
Dept. in Charge
: Cost Analysis Team
Tel.
: 82-2-774-4060
 
-The average expense for preparing food for an ancestral memorial rite:
227,625 won (for a 4-member family)
-It costs 50,000-60,000 won less to use a traditional market or neighborhood grocery stores than a large supermarket chain to buy things needed for the rite.
-All walleye pollock and dried pollock sold in grocery markets are of Russian origin. Most green bean sprouts are imported.
 
On the occasion of Chuseok (harvest festival), the Price Monitoring Center of the KNCCO (President: Lee Deok-seung) checked the prices of 24 goods needed by households to hold an ancestral memorial rite. The price survey was carried out at 90 businesses (i.e., 12 department stores, 24 large supermarkets, 20 super-supermarkets [SSMs], 18 neighborhood grocery stores, and 16 traditional markets).
 
1. The cost for buying the goods needed for an ancestral memorial rite: those sold at department stores are the most expensive, followed by large supermarkets, SSMs, neighborhood grocery stores, and traditional markets.[1]
- Shopping at traditional markets and neighborhood grocery stores costs less. Large supermarkets are more convenient, but cost 50,000-60,000 won more.
 
According to the survey, the average expense for preparing food for an ancestral memorial rite comes to 227,625 won (for a 4-member family). Traditional markets are where you can buy those things at the lowest prices (179,172 won) vs. neighborhood grocery stores (190,244 won). It appears that purchasing those things at large supermarkets (237,103 won) costs 7,786 won more than in SSMs and 57,931 higher than in traditional markets, although large supermarkets offer more conveniences and a better shopping atmosphere.
 
2. The places offering the cheapest prices for livestock, marine/forest products, vegetables, and fruit are traditional markets; and for processed food, neighborhood grocery stores are the cheapest
- Neighborhood grocery stores and traditional markets generally offer the cheapest prices, except for marine products
- Goods sold at large supermarkets are the most expensive followed by those sold at department stores, except for vegetables and forest products
 
Our survey shows that traditional markets sell goods (except for processed food) at the lowest prices, followed by neighborhood grocery stores (except in the case of marine products). For processed food, neighborhood grocery stores offer the lowest prices. Department stores charge the highest average prices for all items, followed by large supermarkets (with the exception of vegetables and forest products).
 
Upon examining the details of the survey, the price for a package of beef (600g) and pork (600g), and for eggs (a carton of 30 eggs) offered by traditional markets comes to 61,570 won vs. department stores (114,438 won). As for a carton of 30 eggs neighborhood grocery stores offer the lowest price.
 
With regards to marine products, traditional markets generally offer the lowest prices, but there are some exceptions when it comes to specific items. For example, a bundle of three yellow corvina is sold at 3,665 won at SSMs vs. 6,408 won at traditional markets.
 
Traditional markets offer the lowest prices for vegetables and forest products, including broiled bracken, bellflowers, and green bean sprouts. However, neighborhood grocery stores offer the lowest prices for spinach and freshly harvested jujube. As for freshly harvested chestnuts, large supermarkets offer the lowest prices. Traditional markets, neighborhood grocery stores, and SSMs offer the lowest prices for fruit. As for processed food, neighborhood grocery stores offer lower prices than traditional markets do. Neighborhood grocery stores offer the lowest prices for cooking oil and refined rice wine, while large supermarkets offer the lowest prices for flour and tofu.
 
3. Food items that are of Korean origin, such as beef, yellow corvina, and bellflowers, outsell imported ones in markets. Beef imported from Australia and yellow corvina imported from China sell well in markets.
 
People generally choose domestically produced food for the sacrificial rite for ancestors, but the trend has changed. As for beef, most butchers sell domestic beef, but imported beef is also sold at most butcher shops, including at department stores. The price for domestic beef for soup is 31,486 won/600g vs. 17,007 won for imported beef. Domestic beef for skewers costs 24,700 won/600g vs. 13,885 won for imported beef. Beef imported from Australia is found to outsell those imported from other countries.
 
As for marine products, consumers appear to purchase more imported goods due to their lower prices. All walleye pollock and dried pollock sold in domestic markets are imported from Russia. With regards to yellow corvina, those of domestic origin outsell than imported ones in department stores. In large supermarkets and SSMs, domestic origin yellow corvinas are found to compete in sales with imported ones. In traditional markets and neighborhood grocery stores, imported yellow corvinas outsell those of domestic origin.
 
Looking at vegetables and forest products, those of domestic broiled bracken and bellflowers outsell those that are imported. Imported vegetables and forest products are mainly sold at neighborhood grocery stores and traditional markets. As for green bean sprouts, imported ones outsell those of domestic origin at large supermarkets, neighborhood grocery stores, and traditional markets. Most of the bracken (85.7%), bellflowers (100%), and green bean sprouts (94.2%) sold at markets are imported from China. Their prices are 67.4%, 64.3%, and 48.0% lower, respectively, than those of domestic origin.
 
※Attached: the survey results of prices at Chuseok (offered by different distribution channels)
 
 
 
-----------------------------Partners of Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations------------------------------
National YMCA of Korea, Green Consumers Network in Korea, Korea Federation of Housewives Clubs, National Council of Homemakers Classes, Korea Consumer Education Center, National Council of YMCAs of Korea, Consumers Union of Korea, Consumer Affairs Institute, Citizens Alliance for Consumer Protection of Korea

 
※ The survey results of prices at Chuseok (offered by different distribution channels)
(Unit: Pieces/Won)
Category
Items
Unit
Origin
Total
Prices offered by
Businesses surveyed
Overall average
Department stores
Large supermarkets
SSMs
Neighborhood grocery stores
Traditional markets
Livestock
Beef
(for soup)
600g
Korea
67
31,486
42,095
36,167
32,636
22,196
21,043
Beef
(for skewers)
600g
Korea
64
24,700
35,782
25,122
23,485
19,760
19,342
Pork
600g
Korea
89
14,697
19,849
15,490
15,024
12,638
11,875
Pork
(minced)
600g
Korea
84
6,216
8,295
6,576
8,061
4,617
4,175
Egg
30 eggs
Korea
84
5,748
8,417
5,915
5,981
4,738
5,135
Sub total
-
82,847
114,438
89,270
85,186
63,948
61,570
Marine products
Yellow corvina
3
Korea
62
6,830
12,188
7,166
3,665
5,728
6,408
Walleye pollock
500g
Imported
81
6,715
8,619
7,169
7,421
5,979
4,897
Dried pollock
1
Imported
84
5,140
6,682
4,717
5,296
5,053
4,536
Sub total
-
18,686
27,488
19,052
16,382
16,761
15,841
Vegetable/
Forest products
Broiled bracken
400g
Korea
62
10,513
12,628
10,552
11,896
8,675
7,513
Bellflowers
400g
Korea
65
10,275
12,404
10,171
11,588
9,549
7,750
Green bean sprouts
400g
Korea
40
2,650
3,074
2,574
3,018
2,473
1,125
Spinach
400g
Korea
74
3,437
4,899
3,553
3,321
2,938
2,957
Jujubes
400g
Korea
48
6,057
9,583
6,047
7,452
4,290
4,318
Chestnuts
1kg
Korea
42
7,243
11,558
6,412
7,498
6,817
6,462
Sub total
-
40,174
54,146
39,310
44,773
34,741
30,124
Fruit
Apples
5
Korea
88
11,797
18,083
13,215
10,446
10,411
8,510
Pears
3
Korea
88
11,107
19,142
13,388
9,102
8,046
7,625
Dried persimmons
10
Korea
66
12,197
17,312
12,600
11,944
10,078
8,890
Sub total
-
35,100
54,537
39,203
31,492
28,535
25,025
Others
Flour
1kg
-
69
1,426
1,500
1,297
1,618
1,435
1,412
Edible oil
1.8L
-
84
5,537
7,455
5,378
6,089
4,679
5,031
Tofu
3 piece
-
69
9,993
10,286
9,587
9,983
10,191
10,029
Refined rice wine
1.8L
-
85
10,996
16,024
10,586
10,798
10,185
10,232
Sub total
-
27,952
35,265
26,848
28,488
26,490
26,704
Songpyeon
1kg
-
37
12,959
19,848
11,392
19,500
-
9,667
Cake made from wheat flour, oil and honey
10
-
80
4,661
11,563
4,576
4,161
3,175
3,500
Oil-and-honey pastry
1 bag
-
80
5,246
9,445
5,885
5,876
3,635
3,449
Total
90
227,625
319,840
237,103
229,317
190,244
179,172
※ 1) Based on a survey of 90 businesses (i.e., 12 department stores, 24 large supermarkets, 20 super-supermarkets (SSMs), 18 neighborhood grocery stores, and 16 traditional markets).
2) Based on Grade-1 beef, 20cm-long corvina, 300g of tofu, and 200g oil-and-honey pastry
3) Based on all-purpose flour produced by Daehan Flour Mills; Baekseol Brand cooking oil; Pulmuone Tofu; Baekhwasubok Brand refined rice wince
4) Few neighborhood grocery stores and SSMs sell songpyeon. Thus, the average prices 12,959 won for songpyeon was used for the general information of this survey.

[1] Few neighborhood supermarkets and SSMs sell songpyeon (rice-cake with stuffing). Thus, average prices for songpyeon were used for the general information of this survey.


#524, #525, 47, Sejong-daero 23-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Postal code: 03182)
  TEL 82-2-774-4050   FAX 82-2-774-4090   E-mail: sohyub@consumer.or.kr