America is not the only nation finding its citizens to make sacrifices in their day-to-day lives as the global economic woes influence the cost of daily living expenses. Families in the most expensive cities in Asia: Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Seoul are also being forced to change long standing shopping habits.
As the price of goods continue to rise at rates higher than the past 10 years, housewives in Seoul are finding their shopping habits changing as they adjust to the changing economical situation.
In Korea, supermarket and big box chains typically sell items in a bundle: toilet tissue comes in bulk packages of 64 rolls, fabric softener is sold in packages of two and milk drink boxes are sold in packages of six. Store clerks at the retail big box chain “Home-ever” in Seoul relate the growing frustration in selling these packaged items. A recent shopper asked for individual packaged items because although ”it’s [the packaged items] cheaper, [I] have a high percentage of throwing them away.” The housewife continued to relate other tactics involved while shopping to save money. ”I didn’t even think of getting dressings, deep-frozen food, or instant food,” she states. “I can spend some time on making them myself. I used to go to marts once a week, but these days once in ten days. My husband’s salary is still the same, but our living expenses due to the rising cost of food and gas, have risen in an amount of 400,000 won.”
Seoul is not the only nation whose consumers are turning to creative ways to save money as the cost of goods continues to rise. To read about the changing spending habits of housewives in Hong Kong and Tokyo, you can read the rest of the article here.
Filed under: Food, Lifestyle, Social/Political Issue, economy | Leave a Comment
Tags: Asian Consumers, Asian Housewives, Branding, Consumer Behavior, Consumer Trends, Cost of Living, HomeEver, Hong Kong, Housewives, Korea, Korean Consumer, Korean Economy, Korean Housewives, Lifestyle, Marketing, seoul, Tokyo
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