As signs of a COVID-19 resurgence emerge, convenience stores are witnessing an uptick in consumers seeking self-protection items such as diagnostic kits, cold medicine, and masks.
With the back-to-school season in full swing, sales of masks for children and infants have spiked dramatically, indicating a growing trend in lifestyle-oriented consumption aimed at disease prevention.
On Friday, the retail industry reported that sales of pandemic-related products at major convenience store chains have uniformly increased this month compared to last. Seven-Eleven saw a 62% jump in COVID-19 self-test kit sales from August 1-26. Cold medicine sales rose by 15%, masks by 17%, and fever reducers by 14%.
GS25 also experienced a 30.3% increase in diagnostic kit sales and a 10.3% rise in cold medicine during the same period. Notably, sales of masks for children and infants skyrocketed by 341%, more than quadrupling from the previous month. This surge likely stems from increased demand among families with school-aged children as the academic year begins.
CU reported a 45.7% increase in diagnostic kit sales and a 12.2% rise in cold medicine from August 1-23 compared to the same period last month.
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The spike in COVID-related product demand at convenience stores appears to be closely tied to the recent uptick in infection indicators both domestically and abroad.
In China, the COVID-19 positivity rate has climbed for five consecutive weeks, surpassing 20%. South Korea is also seeing a resurgence in infection indicators. China reported 522,000 new confirmed cases last month, while South Korea’s COVID-19 detection rate hit 9.1% in the second week of August, nearly 2.8 times higher than three weeks prior. Hospital admissions have also increased 2.4 times over the past month.
Convenience stores serve as one of the most accessible channels for consumers to purchase diagnostic kits, masks, and cold medicine during disease outbreaks. If COVID-19 continues to spread, demand for masks and over-the-counter medications may further increase, especially among school-aged children and adolescents as the academic year progresses.
An industry insider noted that demand for COVID-related products tends to fluctuate not only with actual case numbers but also with growing infection concerns. With the start of the school year and seasonal changes, it anticipates sustained interest in these products for the foreseeable future.