"Is Bulk Really Better Value?"... Today’s Shoppers Spend on Just the Right Amount [How We Shop Now]

Right-Sized Over Bulk...Redefining the Standard of Value
Beyond Single-Person Households, Expanding Demand from Diet-Conscious Consumers
Lower Barriers with Small Portions and Lower Prices

Editor's NoteWhat are people buying these days? From household goods you always pick up at Daiso, to the sold-out cosmetics at Olive Young, and even bread you have to line up for—familiar shopping scenes vividly reflect today's market trends. is a series that reads current consumer trends through “bestselling everyday items.” It breaks down which products are being chosen and which strategies are making people open their wallets, presenting the changes on the consumer frontlines in an easy and engaging way.

"There’s really no need to buy a lot at once."

The long-standing industry standard of “large-volume value” is being challenged. Instead, smaller-size products are quickly filling shelves everywhere, from supermarkets to upscale restaurants. The new mainstream trend is practical “right-sized consumption”—buying just what you need and consuming it neatly—overturning the old notion that bulk purchases always guarantee lower per-unit prices.

Citizens are shopping at a large supermarket in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Hetbahn 110g · Only 2 Pieces of Inari Sushi...Redefining the Standard of 'One Meal'

The most rapid change can be seen in the food market. CJ CheilJedang recently introduced “Hetbahn Soft Mini Rice” with a 110g portion, roughly half the size of its flagship white rice product (210g). This extends the product’s lineup to white rice, following the “Hetbahn Rice Plan Mini Rice” (Parotong Grain Rice and Lentil Brown Rice), which launched in June.

This shift toward smaller portions is a direct result of the growing number of “Sosikjwa”—consumers who consciously reduce carbohydrate intake—changing the very standard of a “serving.” According to Nielsen market data, products classified as a “small serving” (under 130g) accounted for only about 9% of total ready-to-eat rice market sales in the first half of last year, but surged to 16% in the first half of this year—a dramatic increase of 7 percentage points in just one year.

CJ CheilJedang Hetbahn Soft Mini Rice. CJ CheilJedang

Convenience store shelves are also downsizing “one meal.” CU cut its inari sushi from four pieces (4,000 won) to two pieces (1,900 won), among a major expansion of 13 types of small-portion ready meals. According to a consumer survey powered by artificial intelligence (AI) at CU, more than half of respondents cited calorie concerns and trouble dealing with leftovers as reasons for preferring mini ready meals.

GS25’s “One-Meal Marinated Meat,” a 200g package aimed at single- or two-person households, drove meat product category sales up 90% year-on-year. After a product overhaul in April, daily sales of processed meat at key stores jumped an impressive 250% over previous levels.

GS25 Single-Meal Marinated Meat. GS Retail

Premium Baijiu at 65ml: "Even if It's Expensive, People Try It Once"

The small-portion strategy has made a breakthrough in the ultra-high-end liquor market, introducing sample-size products that significantly lower the barrier to entry. Nanjing Trading, an importer of Chinese baijiu, has dramatically increased distribution of ultra-small 65ml baijiu for general retail (one-eighth the traditional 500ml bottle), and 100-125ml versions for restaurants.

Wine & More by Shinsegae L&B, as well as the Chuncheon “World Liquor Market,” have built special miniature-only display sections for whiskey, vodka, gin, and miniature baijiu. The premium baijiu “Mengzilan,” which typically sells for hundreds of thousands of won per 500ml bottle, has drastically lowered the entry barrier by offering a 65ml miniature for tens of thousands of won.

Yangha Liquor Brewery's premium baijiu lineup sold in Korea. Yangha Liquor Brewery

Hotels and large Chinese restaurants are also accelerating their adoption of small-portion liquors. Outlets such as Walkerhill Geumryong, Mondrian Seoul Itaewon SMT China Room, Four Seasons Yu Yuan, Grand InterContinental Parnas Wave, as well as Modern Nulang, Sichuan House, Paljinhyang, Mott 32, and Fei Hong Lou are serving small bottles of baijiu for in-restaurant consumption. The aim is to reduce the burden of ordering a whole bottle of high-proof liquor, instead allowing two people to share comfortably.

Coffee Shrinking to 200ml from 250ml...Different from 'Shrinkflation' Price Tactics

The latest small-portion initiatives must be clearly differentiated from so-called “shrinkflation,” where contents are reduced without lowering prices, and other “quantity reduction” tactics. The “right quantity, right price” approach means prices are honestly lowered alongside the amount, so consumers feel a genuine reduction in the price threshold.

Citizens are shopping at a large supermarket in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

Namyang Dairy Products recently reduced the size of its “French Cafe Devil’s Temptation” cup coffee from 250ml to 200ml (down 20%), simultaneously dropping the price from 1,300 won to 900 won, a 30.8% decrease. By significantly reducing the initial purchase cost, the product surpassed 120,000 orders through a single wholesale channel just three weeks after launch. CJ CheilJedang is also expanding its main lineup of Hetbahn and Spam with reduced weights (about 20% less) and lower prices.

No Leftovers, Less to Eat...New Standard for 'Value'

The primary driver of the small-portion craze is a shift in consumer mindset. While past “value for money” focused on “cost per 100 grams,” current times—marked by prolonged inflation and more single-person households—have shifted standards to “total spend” and “actual consumption,” factoring in storage and disposal costs.

Added to this are trends such as mindful eating and rising interest in weight loss medications like Maunjaro and Wegovy, which are further fueling the shift toward smaller meals. Instead of “plentiful servings” as the norm, more finely segmented options that precisely match an individual’s appetite have become the winning strategy.

Broadcast personality Sohyun Park, a well-known 'news-shy' celebrity in the entertainment industry, revealed on the YouTube variety show "Sisters with No Appetite" that a vanilla iced latte is her breakfast and lunch. Screenshot from the YouTube channel "Heungmaneul Studio"

Small-package products have relatively higher packaging and fixed production costs, so the unit production cost does not decrease as much as for large packages. However, the food and retail industries are slicing products into smaller portions because the reduction of the purchase barrier overwhelmingly attracts new customers. “Consuming only what you need, without burden”—this is now the essential survival strategy for retailers looking to open today’s changing wallets.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.