[비즈한국] There is strong backlash from the pharmaceutical industry regarding Daiso's health functional food products, which were launched at 'one-tenth' the price of those sold in pharmacies. Some pharmacists have reportedly begun a boycott of the pharmaceutical companies supplying these products. While Il-Yang Pharmaceutical007570 officially decided to withdraw its entire product line on this day, Chong Kun Dang Healthcare and Daewoong Pharmaceutical069620 have yet to state their position regarding a withdrawal.
On the 24th, Daiso began selling health supplements in approximately 200 stores nationwide. Daewoong Pharmaceutical launched 26 products, Il-Yang Pharmaceutical launched 9, and Chong Kun Dang Healthcare is scheduled to release 2 products around March or April. These pharmaceutical companies' supplements are priced between 3,000 and 5,000 won for a one-month supply, in line with Daiso's uniform pricing policy. This is about one-tenth the price compared to pharmacy retail. Regarding the 'reasonable price,' Daewoong Pharmaceutical explained, "It was possible thanks to a year of thorough preparation, minimizing costs through mass production across the entire process from raw material sourcing to manufacturing, and boldly reducing ingredients that do not affect packaging or functionality to focus on the product's inherent functionality and quality."
The 'health supplement display' at the Daiso Gangnam Express Bus Terminal branch, visited on the morning of the 28th, was located near the entrance, making it easy to find. Customers were crowded around the display, exchanging comments like "This is the place," "I heard there's an uproar at pharmacies," and "Which one do you usually take?" while carefully inspecting the products. Even though only about two hours had passed since opening, some items were already sold out. The three boxes of Daewoong Pharmaceutical's 'Lutein' were completely empty, and there were many gaps for products like 'Green Tea Catechin,' 'Coenzyme Q10,' and 'Milk Thistle.' Among Il-Yang Pharmaceutical's products, zinc-based items such as 'Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc/Manganese' and 'Saw Palmetto Zinc' were highly preferred. When asked about inventory, a store clerk replied, "If it's not on the shelf, we don't have it," adding, "We don't know when more will arrive."
With such low prices, one might wonder if the quality is inferior to existing products. When this reporter compared Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s 'Coenzyme Q10' product with one sold online, the content of the main ingredients was found to be identical. Both the Daiso product and the existing 'CoQ10 100mg' product contained 100mg of Coenzyme Q10, which is the maximum daily intake limit set by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and no other ingredients were included. The capsule weight itself was higher for the Daiso product at 500mg, compared to 370mg for the other. The price for 30 tablets was 5,000 won at Daiso, whereas the 'CoQ10 100mg' product was 19,720 won (based on Coupang prices, calculated from 39,440 won for 60 tablets), showing a fourfold difference. Both products are individually packaged in PTP (Press through Pack) blister packs.
In the case of Daewoong Pharmaceutical's 'Coenzyme Q10+,' which adds Vitamin C and zinc to Coenzyme Q10, the Coenzyme Q10 content was also 100mg, the same as the Daiso product. This product was sold for 23,800 won and 22,020 won on Coupang and 11st, respectively.
A man identified as 'A,' who visited Daiso with a family member, said, "Daiso products are so popular. Accessibility seems much better. An acquaintance of mine runs a pharmacy in front of Sinchon Severance Hospital, and they said they are planning to return all of their Daewoong Pharmaceutical stock. I was helping them pack the returns just a moment ago. I think pharmacists would be shocked if they came and saw this in person." A and his family then picked up Vitamin B, magnesium, and prostate health products and headed to the checkout counter.
The pharmaceutical community emphasizes that health supplements also require consultation with a pharmacist. 'B,' a pharmacist with 16 years of experience who completed the Korean Pharmaceutical Association's 'Customized Health Supplement Expert Course,' said, "Just because something is cheap doesn't mean it's good; supplements should be selected based on the medications one is taking and their own physical constitution. Many people take things just because those around them say they are good, but if you don't know what you specifically need and don't take only the necessary components, it could potentially harm certain organs." B added, "A pharmacist posted a comparison of these products in a pharmacists' community, mentioning that some Daiso products actually contain fewer ingredients or can even be more expensive in some cases."