Rising prices push consumers toward at-home leisure
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An avid camper surnamed Cho, 32, who lives in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, has cut back on camping trips this spring despite the favorable weather.
"I used to go camping with friends in Gangwon or Chungcheong provinces almost every other weekend," she said. "But fuel prices have risen so much that even driving out there feels like a burden, so I'm trying to avoid weekend road trips."
Cho added that she has recently put some of her camping gear up for sale on secondhand marketplaces.
Some people are canceling their travel plans for May, a month with several public holidays, and choosing to stay home instead.
"I was thinking of traveling to Jeju Island, but I heard airfares are expected to jump in May. With prices so unpredictable, I'll probably just stay home and find things to do indoors," said an office worker surnamed Jeong, 27.
Spring is typically a peak season for outdoor activities, but more people are now turning to at-home leisure, industry data showed Monday, as soaring oil and consumer prices driven by conflict in the Middle East are beginning to reshape consumers' behavior.
According to E-Mart, a major retailer, sales of digital gaming devices in March surged 166.3 percent from a year earlier, while related accessories such as gaming keyboards rose 15.1 percent.
Sales of staple foods also increased, with rice up 30.4 percent and refrigerated ready-to-eat foods rising 5 percent.
In contrast, demand for outdoor gear has weakened. Sales of camping and hiking equipment, which typically pick up in spring, fell by more than 20 percent year-on-year.
At Lotte Mart, sales of games and collectible figurines jumped 107.8 percent in March from a year earlier, while camping goods plunged 55.2 percent.
Online shopping data shows a similar trend.
On SSG.com, a major e-commerce platform, book sales rose 233 percent in March from a year earlier, while gaming consoles and software increased 217 percent. Frozen snacks also climbed 125 percent.
Experts say the growing tendency to stay at home during free time comes as higher energy costs ripple through the economy.
Nationwide gasoline prices rose to 1,836 won per liter in March, up 8.8 percent from the previous month, according to the Korea National Oil Corp.'s Opinet website. Consumer prices rose 2.2 percent from a year earlier, the fastest pace in three months.
"With high oil prices and inflation unlikely to ease in the short term, consumers are cutting back first on discretionary spending such as hobbies and leisure. Even when they go out, they tend to travel shorter distances and spend less on dining out," said Lee Eun-hui, a professor of consumer science at Inha University.
Retailers are ramping up promotions for snacks and at-home leisure items as more consumers spend time at home.
E-Mart earlier this month launched a sale offering discounts on meat, groceries and household essentials. Lotte Mart and Lotte Super are also running promotions on private-label products to attract cost-conscious shoppers.