Holiday discounts from chicken to luxury goods

Bargain-hunting consumers can pick up deals with some discounts as high as 90 percent over the three-day weekend.

Department stores and supermarkets have slashed prices on selected items to draw in the crowds.

Lotte Mart a chain store and hypermarket is giving discounts on daily necessities and food up to 50 percent until Wednesday. Chicken, frequently consumed in Korea’s summer season as a traditional food for health, is about 20 percent cheaper than its usual price. It is now 2,300 won ($1.90) for 500 grams (1.1 pound) and 5,800 won for 1 kilogram.

Gift cards will be given to shoppers who buy more than 30,000 won worth of products from LG Household and Health Care or processed foods of CJ, Lotte Mart said.

Hyundai Department Store is offering discounts on a variety of brands up to 30 percent, as well as providing gift cards for 5 percent off purchases.

Chinese tourists can get a 5 percent discount at any of the store’s branches in Korea if they pay with a China Union Pay card.

About 30 billion won worth of foreign luxury brand goods will be on display at the Lotte Department stores’ stands inside Lotte Hotel World, in Jamsil-dong, eastern Seoul, by Sunday.

Several brands, such as Murberry, are being offered at discounted prices between 40 to 90 percent.

For those who prefer online shopping, E-Mart is also offering discounts. Pork ribs or Korean beef are discounted by 30 percent, and Korean mackerel, by 49 percent.

“We planned the online discount event as an increasing number of shoppers are purchasing on their cell phones,” said Kim Nam-gon, a manager at E-Mart.

Columbia, a leading outdoor brand, has already cut its regular retail prices on winter jackets. Central Focus Down Jacket, a popular product of the brand, is reduced 30 percent to 359,000 won. A River Ure Down Jacket is reduced 50 percent to 245,000 won.

KFC is offering special deals on its desserts, biscuits and chicken nuggets for 700 won each for every day during the weekend.

“Market insiders in the distribution sector are considering the three-day holiday period as a good opportunity to stimulate domestic consumption, so they are in tough competition for marketing,” said Choe Ha-na, a manager at Lotte Mart.

BY LEE HYUN-TAEK, KIM HEE-JIN [kim.heejin@joongang.co.kr]