[비즈한국] The emergency martial law declaration caused quite a stir in the retail industry overnight. As consumers rushed to stockpile food and daily necessities in preparation for an uncertain future, convenience stores and e-commerce companies experienced a temporary boost in sales. However, the industry is reacting to this unexpected rise in revenue with a bittersweet sentiment rather than joy.
Anxiety remains among the elderly despite the lifting of martial law
The emergency martial law declared by President Yoon Suk-yeol at approximately 10:23 PM on the 3rd was lifted six hours later. While citizens who were gripped by intense anxiety overnight quickly returned to their daily lives, some individuals still struggled to shake off their sense of unease.
At 10:00 AM on the 4th, a couple in their 70s waiting for a large supermarket to open immediately headed toward the bottled water section with their cart upon entering. Having purchased 30 two-liter bottles of water, they said, "We didn't sleep a wink because of the martial law. I felt anxious and thought I needed to stock up on food at home." Another elderly couple met at the mart bought a large amount of ramen, explaining, "We are buying it in advance because we don't know what might happen."
The older generation, having experienced martial law in the 1980s, seemed unable to shake off the trauma from the previous night. In contrast, the younger generation recovered their daily routines quickly. Most shoppers at the mart went about their business as usual. A housewife in her 30s, who visited the mart with her children, said, "I was shocked to wake up this morning and find out what happened overnight. But since it has been lifted, isn't it the same as any other day?"
It was noted that among the consumers who visited convenience stores overnight to buy emergency food, the proportion of middle-aged and older people was high. A convenience store industry official explained, "Convenience store sales increased significantly last night. According to field staff, there was particularly high demand from customers who appeared to be in their 50s and 60s."
Sales rise in residential convenience stores; dawn delivery operations continue as normal
Consumers who felt anxious immediately after the martial law declaration headed to convenience stores to purchase emergency provisions. For one convenience store brand, sales of canned goods and instant ramen during the one hour starting at 11:00 PM on the 3rd—immediately after the declaration—surged by 337.3% and 253.8% respectively compared to the same time the previous week. Sales of bottled water (141%), instant rice (128.6%), batteries (40.6%), and safety medicine (39.5%) also saw an increase.
One convenience store owner shared, "Within one to two hours after the martial law was declared, there were many customers buying large amounts of ramen and snacks for their kids. Some even visited the store with their children, saying that school might be difficult to attend for the time being."
While sales at convenience stores near residential areas increased significantly, owners of convenience stores near nightlife districts reported a sharp drop in sales. One owner lamented, "My sales dropped by about 1 million won compared to usual. It seems it's because people stayed home last night to watch the news instead of coming out."
Even with the emergency martial law in effect, the dawn delivery industry remained busy throughout the night. Coupang, Kurly, SSG, and Oasis continued to operate their normal delivery systems into the morning of the 4th. One consumer remarked, "I was surprised to see that the dawn delivery I ordered last evening arrived this morning. It makes me feel a bit sorry knowing that the delivery drivers were working even in such a critical situation."
An e-commerce industry official explained, "Since there were no curfews, there were no problems in the delivery process. There was some movement from consumers purchasing additional food and daily necessities overnight. Since these orders are scheduled for delivery during the day on the 4th, there shouldn't be any major setbacks for future deliveries either."
Although convenience stores and e-commerce companies benefited from the surge in sales due to the emergency martial law, the industry could not hide its bitterness. An industry official remarked, "Given the gravity of the situation, we cannot be happy or pleased that sales increased because of [the martial law]. It is not a situation where people in the industry can just smile."