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Rising costs encourage more people to stay home, change consumption patterns

Published: 13 Apr. 2026, 14:52 Updated: 13 Apr. 2026, 15:18

Car owners pump fuel at a gas station in Seoul on April 12. [YONHAP]

The uncertain future of the Iran war is pushing oil prices up and keeping people indoors at home and away from their cars, even with the nicer, sunnier spring weather.

“Around this time of year, I usually drive out with family or friends to see cherry blossoms, but with the burden of fuel and dining costs rising, I scrapped the plan and stayed home to read and cook,” said an office worker surnamed Seo living in Nowon District, northern Seoul, who canceled plans for a spring outing this weekend.

Although spring typically brings increased outdoor activity, a “stay-at-home consumption” trend — where people reduce outings and spend more time indoors — is spreading.

Sales of outdoor goods such as camping and hiking equipment have dropped sharply at major supermarkets and e-commerce platforms, while demand for indoor leisure items such as gaming consoles and books, along with home meal-related products like rice and ready-to-eat food, has increased.

“Consumption patterns similar to those seen during the Covid-19 period, when outings declined, are reemerging,” a retail industry source said.

Emart reported that sales of digital gaming consoles and related products surged 166.3 percent last month compared to a year earlier, while sales of peripherals such as gaming keyboards and mice rose 15.1 percent. In contrast, sales of camping and hiking gear, which typically increase in spring, fell by more than 20 percent. Sales of rice and refrigerated ready-to-eat meals rose 30.4 percent and 5 percent, respectively.

A customer looks at dairy products are a supermarket in Seoul on April 6. [NEWS1]

At Lotte Mart and Lotte Super, sales of games and figurines increased 107.8 percent over the same period, while camping goods dropped 55.2 percent, automotive products fell 21.9 percent and travel items declined 33.4 percent. Notably, sales at Lotte Super, which is typically visited on foot near residential areas, rose 14.8 percent, while Lotte Mart, often accessed by car, saw sales fall 4.2 percent. On e-commerce platform SSG.com, sales of novels and large 20-kilogram (44-pound) bags of rice increased 233 percent and 102 percent, respectively.

“Consumers are feeling a significant burden from long-distance travel costs due to high oil prices and inflation,” Lee Jong-woo, a professor of distribution and marketing at Namseoul University. “If this trend continues, it could hurt industries related to outdoor activities and regional commercial areas tied to tourism, and may even lead to an overall contraction in consumption, making responses from the government and industry necessary.”

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 LIM SUN-YOUNG [[email protected]]