"I Ordered a Whole Chicken, So Why Is It So Small?"... Weighed It and Found a Difference of Up to 30%

Some Kyochon and Goobne Products Weigh Significantly Less Than Labeled
Chicken Prices Unchanged Despite a 37.7% Drop in Raw Chicken Prices

The labeled weight of chicken franchise products can differ from the weight consumers actually receive by more than 30%.

Photo for illustrative purposes only and unrelated to the article. Getty Images

On October 6, the Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations announced the results of a survey comparing the weights listed on delivery apps and company websites with the actual weights of products purchased from five brands: Kyochon Chicken, BHC, BBQ, Goobne Chicken, and Cheogajip Seasoned Chicken.

Kyochon Fried Chicken 30.5% Below Labeled Weight... Goobne Also Shows a 23.1% Gap

The survey found that some products weighed substantially less than their labeled weight. A whole Kyochon Chicken fried chicken weighed 30.5% less than its labeled weight, while Goobne Chicken Original was also found to weigh 23.1% less than its labeled weight.

This discrepancy is due to the current chicken weight labeling system being based on the weight before cooking, rather than the weight of the finished product received by consumers. The explanation is that the actual weight after cooking may be lower than the labeled weight as moisture and other elements are lost during frying or roasting.

A Kyochon Chicken store in Seoul. Yonhap News

Kyochon Chicken said, "Even when frying the same chicken, Kyochon cuts it into 23 pieces, which causes more moisture to evaporate, and its batter is also thin, reducing the weight." The company added, "We list the pre-cooking weight because post-cooking weight can vary significantly depending on each brand's cooking method."

Conversely, some products weighed more than their labeled weight. BBQ's Golden Olive Chicken Seasoned Boneless was 17.6% heavier than its labeled weight, while Cheogajip Seasoned Chicken's Supreme Seasoned Boneless was 17.2% heavier.

"Standards Needed for Differences Between Labeled and Actual Weight"

The Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations said separate standards are needed to ensure consumers can accept the differences between labeled and actual weight. The council said, "Standards should be established for the permissible difference between labeled and actual weight," adding, "Consumers should be able to use the labeling information to check whether the amount actually provided has been reduced."

A table comparing the average actual weight of chicken from five brands with their labeled weights: Kyochon Chicken, BHC, BBQ, Goobne Chicken, and Cheogajip Seasoned Chicken. Korea National Council of Consumer Organizations

The chicken weight labeling system was introduced to guarantee consumers' right to know. Franchisees affiliated with the headquarters of the top 10 chicken franchises are required to indicate the pre-cooking weight. The system took effect on July 1, 2026, and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety can require businesses that fail to comply with the labeling requirements to do so through corrective orders and other measures.

In August, the council reviewed four delivery apps and found that most of the five brands surveyed provided weight information in menu descriptions or options. However, on some delivery apps, it was still difficult to determine whether chicken weight information was provided at all. The council said the placement and format of the information need to be improved so consumers can find it easily.

Raw Chicken Prices Down 37.7%, but Chicken Prices Remain Unchanged

Meanwhile, the chicken industry has come under scrutiny not only over weight but also over prices. On October 6, the Fair Trade Commission launched on-site inspections of the headquarters of BHC, BBQ, and Kyochon Chicken in response to criticism that chicken prices remain high despite a sharp drop in broiler prices.

Chicken is being sold at a discount at Hanaro Mart's Yangjae branch in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Kang Jinhyeong of The Asia Business Daily.

According to the Korea Chicken Council, the price of No. 9-10 chicken, commonly used for fried chicken, fell from KRW 5,308 per kilogram in March to KRW 3,308 in September, a 37.7% drop in six months. However, the signature menu items at major franchises are reportedly still priced at around KRW 23,000.

The decline in broiler prices is believed to reflect a recovery in chicken supply, which had fallen amid the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza during the winter of 2025-2026. Kyochon Chicken last raised its prices in April 2023, BHC in December of the same year, and BBQ in June 2024, and all three have kept prices unchanged since then.

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