RISING Covid-19 infections in South Korea are reviving pandemic-era shopping habits, with people once again stocking up on masks, self-test kits and cold medicines.
The Korean Herald reported on Sunday that the country's three major convenience store chains — 7-Eleven, GS25 and CU — have reported significant increases in sales of Covid-19-related products over the past month, according to news reports on Aug 28.
At 7-Eleven, sales of Covid-19 self-test kits jumped 62 per cent month-on-month between Aug 1 and Aug 26.
Sales of masks rose 17 per cent, while cold medicines and fever and pain relievers increased 15 per cent and 14 per cent respectively.
GS25 recorded a 30.3 per cent increase in self-test kit sales and a 10.3 per cent rise in cold medicines over the same period.
Demand for masks for children and infants was particularly strong, with sales soaring 341 per cent from the previous month.
CU reported a similar trend between Aug 1 and Aug 23, with sales of self-test kits rising 45.7 per cent and cold medicines increasing 12.2 per cent compared with the same period a month earlier.
"Since mid-August, we've been asking parents to send their children to day care with masks after a series of cold-like illnesses accompanied by high fevers among 1- and 2-year-olds," Hwang Ji-mi, a teacher at a day care centre in Seoul's Dongjak-gu district, told The Korea Herald.
Industry sources said the latest increase in Covid-19 infections was prompting consumers to revive shopping habits that became commonplace during the pandemic.
South Korea's Covid-19 detection rate reached 9.1 per cent between Aug 9 and Aug 15, about 2.8 times the 3.2 per cent recorded three weeks earlier, according to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency.
The number of Covid-19 patients hospitalised at general hospitals also increased 2.4-fold over the same period.
The rise in infections is not confined to South Korea. China recorded about 522,000 new Covid-19 cases in July, including 487 severe cases and one death, according to local media reports.
"With schools back in session, we expect demand for test kits, masks and cold medicine to remain strong for a while. The change of seasons is also likely to give sales a further boost," a GS25 official said. - August 30, 2026
