Households spend less on alcohol, cigarettes
By Kang Seung-woo Households spent 3.49 trillion won ($3.08 billion) on cigarettes and alcoholic drinks in the July-to-September period of 2010, accounting for 2.35 percent of the total consumer spending standing at 148.6 trillion won, according to the Bank of Korea and Statistics Korea. The ratio of spending on the two items remained above 6 percent until the early 1980’s and it reached the 8 percent mark in the fourth quarter of 1985 to become one of the biggest expenditures among households. That ratio was the fourth highest at the time behind food, clothing and shelter — the necessities of life — which accounted for 37.03 percent, 10.91 percent and 10.22 percent, respectively. Despite rising household earnings and spending, they have fallen out of favor with people, landing at an all-time low record since the survey started in 1970, as the number of those who are interest in health has been sharply increasing. Real spending on liquor and cigarettes which considers price fluctuation has posted negative figures for the seventh straight quarter since the f