South Korean Shoppers Buy FMCG Products Less Often but Spend More Per Trip as Market Growth Slows, According to Worldpanel by Numerator

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA--(Business Wire / Korea Newswire)--South Korean shoppers are buying FMCG products less frequently but spending more on each shopping trip. The latest FMCG Market Review from Worldpanel by Numerator shows shopping frequency fell during the first half of 2026, while spend per trip continued to increase. At the same time, consumers increasingly used different retail channels for different shopping missions as growth across the FMCG market slowed.

The South Korean FMCG market was broadly flat in the first half of 2026, declining by 0.3% compared with the same period last year. While shoppers spent 1.5% more on each trip, shopping frequency fell by 2.8%, meaning the higher spend per visit was not enough to offset fewer shopping trips. As a result, average household FMCG spending declined by 1.3%.

Food was the main driver of the slowdown. Food spending fell by 2.2% as shopping frequency declined across most food categories. In contrast, non-food categories grew by 4.0%, supported by increases in both shopping frequency and spend per trip.

Beauty and personal care continued to perform well despite the slower market. Skincare, body care and colour cosmetics all recorded growth, while most food categories saw lower spending during the first half of the year.

Shopping habits also continued to evolve across retail channels. Visits to physical stores declined, while online growth also slowed compared with the previous six months. Rather than relying on a single retailer, consumers increasingly used different retail channels for different shopping missions.

Youngmi Lee, Managing Director at Worldpanel by Numerator South Korea, said: “Korean consumers are not simply spending less. They are shopping differently. People are making fewer shopping trips, while beauty and personal care continues to perform strongly. This means brands need to understand where shoppers are spending, which channels they are using and how shopping habits are changing. In South Korea, where information moves quickly and shopper loyalties can shift rapidly, reliable consumer data is more important than ever. The brands that win will be those that can spot change early, understand what is driving it, and act with confidence.”

The findings are based on Worldpanel by Numerator’s FMCG Market Review for the first half of 2026, analysing FMCG purchasing behaviour across 8,000 households in South Korea, excluding fresh food. The report tracks shopping frequency, spending patterns, product categories and retail channels.

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