"Chuseok Ritual Table Cost at 309,380 Won, Down 1.2% in 2 Weeks... Apples and Pears Up Over 10%"

Survey by Price Monitoring Center of Korea Consumer Organizations Council

One week before Chuseok this year, the average estimated cost for preparing a four-person ancestral rite table was surveyed at 309,380 won. Although this is a slight decrease compared to two weeks ago, prices of key fruits such as apples and pears have risen by more than 10%, meaning overall grocery price pressures have not eased.

Consumers are browsing ceremonial items ahead of Chuseok at a traditional market in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News.

The Price Monitoring Center of the Korea Consumer Organizations Council announced on the 22nd that, based on surveys conducted at 90 locations—including department stores, large discount stores (hypermarkets), super supermarkets (SSMs), regular supermarkets, and traditional markets across Seoul’s 25 districts—on the 17th and 18th of September, the average cost of purchasing 24 Chuseok ritual offering items fell by 1.2% to 309,380 won. This is compared to 313,201 won recorded three weeks ago.

Of the items surveyed, the prices of 15 items dropped compared to three weeks ago, while the prices of 7 items increased. The price of flour remained unchanged from two weeks prior. Dried yellow corvina posted the largest increase, rising by 19.6%. Apples also saw an 11.8% increase (from 16,879 won to 18,876 won for 5 apples), while pears rose 11.1% (from 10,640 won to 11,821 won for 3 pears). In addition, pork for boiled dishes (neck and belly) and pork for minced dishes (hind legs) climbed by 5.0% and 4.8%, respectively.

On the other hand, dried jujubes (400g) dropped by 14.9% (from 7,131 won to 6,067 won). Beef for skewers fell by 9.2%, dried persimmons by 9.1%, and eggs by 3.6%. The council analyzed that discount events for Korean beef, primarily held at large supermarkets, led to a 22.7% drop in beef for skewers prices. The government’s supply expansion and release of reserve inventory also contributed to declines in prices for eggs and frozen pollock fillets.

Based only on items and retail categories directly comparable to last year, the estimated cost one week before Chuseok this year is 324,481 won, up 0.5% from 323,016 won in the same period last year. Out of the 24 comparable items, 14 saw a price increase, while 10 decreased. By retail category, only hypermarkets recorded a decrease, with Chuseok ritual offerings expenses down 9.0% from last year. In contrast, regular supermarkets were up 6.9%, and traditional markets rose 3.8%.

The council analyzed that, given the proportion of discounted goods at large supermarkets has increased year-on-year, government-supported agri-livestock discount programs likely had a price-cutting effect. However, in the case of traditional markets, the council explained that special discount benefits such as Onnuri gift certificate cashback are not reflected in posted prices, so the actual cost to consumers may differ from the nominal figures.

The council stated, "As the range of discounted items and discount rates vary by retail channel, consumers should compare prices before purchasing. We will continue to monitor prices of daily essentials, products, and services to help stabilize consumer prices."

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