Retail industry advances summer promotions amid rising mercury

[Photo by Yonhap]

South Korea’s retail industry is advancing summer promotions as record-breaking heat signals an early arrival of summer.

According to sources on Thursday, Emart has been offering flat prices for individual ice cream products this summer since mid-April. This is about a fortnight earlier than last year.

The featured items include ice cream bars sold at 600 won each and ice cream cones at 1,200 won.

Sales booths offering discounts of up to 20 percent on popular summer noodles like bibimmyeon and jjolmyeon were also set up from mid-April, about two weeks earlier than last year.

Retailers have also begun selling summer water play products much earlier than in the past.

Homeplus started selling water guns from March 28 this year, about two weeks earlier than usual. Beach towels went on sale one week earlier than last year, insect repellent and fan nets were available three weeks ahead, and summer bedding is currently being sold about two weeks earlier.

Some companies are significantly increasing their sales of summer products.

Lotte Mart is expanding its promotions, offering a 20 percent increase in buy one and get one free deals and bulk discounts on chilled noodles, including naengmyeon, compared to the same period last year.