‘Well Mix’, a product that connects soju and beer bottles with a tube and mixes them in the right ratio are high in demand as they add a certain entertainment to drinking. (Image : Tmon)
SEOUL, April 14 (Korea Bizwire) – The increasing popularity of drinking at home alone or with family has lead to an increase in online sales of drinking-related products and snacks.
According to online shopping site Tmon (www.tmon.co.kr), sales of beer and soju glasses, liquor mixers, and snacks to accompany alcoholic beverages are in high demand.
Tmon officials explained that unique products related to the all-time favorite ‘somaek’ (a mixture of soju and beer) are very popular among consumers. The traditional ‘somaek’ glass, a glass that has the proper ratio of soju and beer indicated on it, and ‘Well Mix’, a product that connects soju and beer bottles with a tube and mixes them in the right ratio are high in demand as they add a certain entertainment to drinking.
The online retailer also revealed that 53 percent of those who purchased the glasses were men, and 51 percent were in their 30s.
The traditional ‘somaek’ glass, a glass that has the proper ratio of soju and beer indicated on it. (Image : Gmarket)
Snacks to accompany alcohol are also selling well.
From a 37 percent increase in dried squid sales, to a 118 percent increase in half-dried squid, GMarket (www.gmarket.co.kr) representatives commented that sales of dried squid and other fishery products soared over the past month (March 7 to April 6). The demand for mixed nuts (53 percent increase) and beef jerky (45 percent increase), which are also great accompaniments to alcohol was also high.
Dried fish snacks. (Image : Gmarket)
Consumers are also looking into buying ingredients to make their favorite pub dishes at home. Canned fruit (41 percent increase), dumplings (38 percent increase), and ham/sausages (34 percent increase) were popular among home drinkers.
In addition, wine stoppers (38 percent) and ice buckets (34 percent) also sold well due to the increase in the number of people drinking at home.
Officials at GMarket explain that the phenomenon is caused by the preference for drinking lightly at home instead of going bar hopping.
By M.H.Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
