Nina Jobst
Research expert covering South Korea
Online grocery shopping in South Korea - Statistics & Facts
Ordering groceries from the comfort of one’s own home or getting such chores done on-the-go has been a rather usual practice in South Korea since some years ago but has been even more popularized during the COVID-19 pandemic. As freshness and quality of fresh produce is still important for South Korean consumers, many still prefer choosing those offline. But despite this, the online grocery market continues its growth in 2023, suggesting a permanent change in consumption patterns.
The most popular grocery item purchased online was drinking water, with over half of respondents answering this. Besides water, processed foods that could be stored for a longer time were also popular. Despite widespread concerns about the quality of fresh products, the market is growing anyways as consumers gain confidence in the services.
Leading e-grocery channels and segments
While there are companies that specialize in grocery e-commerce, open markets, such as Coupang, have become the most well-used shopping channel for groceries online. Witnessing the potential of the grocery online market, traditional brick-and-mortar stores have also entered the online space. While trying to match online only service’s conveniences for the customer, they rely on brand recognition and customer loyalty. If they can compete with the established online only channels in the long run remains to be seen, as both type of stores offer advantages to their customers, such as membership discounts, coupons and more.The most popular grocery item purchased online was drinking water, with over half of respondents answering this. Besides water, processed foods that could be stored for a longer time were also popular. Despite widespread concerns about the quality of fresh products, the market is growing anyways as consumers gain confidence in the services.
Consumer behavior
Offering a large variety of products, freshness and therefore fast delivery times are crucial for some groceries. It is also a point of convenience which is valued highly by South Korean customers, and next-day delivery services, such as Rocket WOW, are used for many orders. Similarly convenient, over 90 percent of shoppers used mobile devices for ordering groceries. According to a survey, households with three or more persons were more likely to use online grocery shopping services than single or two person households. Among those who shopped for groceries online, most online grocery shoppers used the service around once a month or every two weeks.
