Big promotions for the parents who have everything

A soap box present released ahead of Parents' Day on Friday from Daiso, which consists of rose-shaped soaps on one level and a spare space on the other level to be filled with cash. [DAISO]

With Parents’ Day right around the corner, companies are rolling out promotions that are largely centered on health-related products.

Discount mart chain Homeplus is holding a health fair, selling dietary supplements like vitamin C and portable electric massage devices for the back, neck or shoulders. In response to the trend to work out at home due to coronavirus, Homeplus is offering yoga mat and digital scales.

Homeplus said sales of products in the health category on its online mall surged 48 percent from February through April compared to the same period last year. Sales of health juices, like ginseng drinks, both online and offline skyrocketed 7,400 percent during the same period.

The retailer hopes high demand for health products from health-conscious consumers will continue throughout May.

“In the period when health matters [due to the pandemic, Homeplus] prepared health-related products ahead of Parents’ Day with the projection that demand for the products will increase,” said Lee Chang-soo, deputy director of marketing at Homeplus.

E-commerce operator 11st is working with Korea Ginseng Corporation to make the purchase of ginseng more convenient.

People who order ginseng products from the CheongKwanJang ginseng brand, which is sold on 11st, are able to pick up the product at 800 CheongKwanJang stores nationwide. 11st says the service could prevent the delays in package deliveries at a time when orders for health products like ginseng jump.

The service is available throughout Friday, which is Parents' Day.

“The collaboration with CheongKwangJang will hopefully help the sales at offline stores and help both online and offline stores survive,” said Lim Hyeon-dong, a spokesperson for 11st.

CJ CheilJedang is pushing health products from its own brands, including Hanppuri ginseng products. CJ offers up to a 58 percent discount on Hanppuri present packages.

Daiso, known for selling affordable goods, is pushing practical presents that can be given in a fun way.

A two-level soap box is among the new releases in May. The first level of the box is filled with red rose-shaped soap bars while the lower level is for cash.

A “flower cash cake kit” is another offering. The kit provides the ingredients to make a fake cake that is decorated with flowers on top and space for rolled-up cash. Daiso reintroduced the kit this year after it was hugely popular last year, according to the company.

A flower-shaped diffuser and a broach featuring carnation are also included in the offerings.

“Repressed consumption sentiment burst out in May, as people see signs of hope that the coronavirus crisis could come to an end,” said Seo Yong-gu, a professor of business administration at Sookmyung Women’s University. “But unless there’s a definite end to the coronavirus outbreak and people see an increase in disposable income, the recent improvement in consumer sentiment will be just temporary.”

BY JIN MIN-JI [jin.minji@joongang.co.kr]