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Dollar shop Daiso to introduce 100 won sanitary pads amid presidential criticism of high prices

Published: 24 Feb. 2026, 15:10 Updated: 24 Feb. 2026, 19:10

A passerby walks past a Daiso sign hanging on the store in Seoul on April 15, 2025. [YONHAP]

Korea's dollar shop Daiso is introducing its 100 won (70 cents) sanitary pads as retailers rush to align with the president's stance on sanitary pad prices in Korea.

Asung Daiso will produce the new product in collaboration with Kleannara, a major Korean manufacturer of paper and hygiene products.

The new price is nearly 60 percent cheaper than the current price range of 200 won to 250 won per pad, produced by the same manufacturer. The product will be manufactured entirely in Korea and will be released in May at Daiso stores.

The unit price of sanitary pads is typically lower when sold in bulk, but Daiso will offer the product in small 10-pad packs priced at 1,000 won, so anyone — including those unable to afford large-volume purchases or facing urgent situations — can purchase them without hesitation.

“We are keenly aware of the customer burden of high inflation,” a Daiso official stated. “Daiso will continue to uphold its fixed-price policy and the spirit of 1,000 won pricing to support price stability and household economy.”

During a Cabinet meeting on Jan. 20, President Lee Jae Myung noted that domestic sanitary pad prices are higher than the average overseas market price. Lee then instructed the officials to introduce measures to produce affordable standard-quality pads and distribute them free of charge. The measures were addressed following concerns that the current premium product-centered market limits consumer choices.

Following Lee’s remarks, major sanitary pad manufacturers such as Yuhan-Kimberly and LG Unicharm announced plans to launch mid- to low-priced sanitary pads, signaling a swift industry response.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY HYEON YE-SEUL [[email protected]]