Lotte Mart sells seven underwear items at uniform prices of 3,000 and 5,000 won
Version 2: A further outlet, Asia Economy, adds September consumer price figures, Lotte Mart's year-to-date underwear sales growth and a named merchandiser's comment; the core details of the uniform-price launch are unchanged.
In short
Lotte Mart said it is selling seven underwear items at uniform prices, with women's seamless bras at 5,000 won and men's drawrs at 3,000 won. The retailer said the prices have applied at all stores since Oct. 1, pitched at shoppers seeking value as living costs stay high. A separate report put September consumer price inflation at 2.9 percent year-on-year.
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Lotte Mart said it is selling seven underwear items at uniform prices of 3,000 won and 5,000 won, with the prices in place at all of its stores since Oct. 1. The retailer said the line targets shoppers who look for value in everyday necessities as prices remain high. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Under the line, women's seamless bras — in shoulder and strap styles — are 5,000 won each and men's drawrs 3,000 won. Women's hem panties, Vivien no-pressure lace panties and Head men's trunks are 3,000 won each, while the Head running shirt is 5,000 won. [ 2 , 3 ]
Lotte Mart said it set a flat price on each product without gift-with-purchase offers or card discounts, so the cost does not depend on payment method or purchase quantity. Asia Economy reported the seamless bra is priced about 50 percent below comparable existing brand products, describing it as thin, soft, stretchable and wire-free, and said the men's drawrs use an outband style while the Head men's trunks are 98 percent cotton with a yarn-dyed check pattern. [ 2 , 3 ]
The launch comes as consumer prices continue to rise. Asia Economy, citing the National Data Office's September consumer price trends, reported the consumer price index at 120.43, up 2.9 percent from a year earlier, and the living price index, which covers frequently purchased items, up 2.5 percent. The same report said Lotte Mart's underwear category sales rose about 5 percent year-on-year in the January-September period. [ 3 ]
Lotte Mart also offers value clothing under its private label Today Good, including a warm-up turtleneck at 9,900 won and men's and women's heat inner sets at 12,900 won each. [ 2 , 3 ]
A Lotte Mart official said customers are increasingly looking for products that lower the price burden of daily necessities as high prices continue, and that the company will keep introducing items that combine reasonable prices with practicality. Asia Economy attributed the same assessment to Lee Jung-su, an MD on the retailer's underwear, miscellaneous goods and sports team. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The launch is a retail move aimed at price-sensitive shoppers, and Lotte Mart ties it to continued high prices for everyday necessities. A single outlet links it to September inflation figures and to growth in the retailer's own underwear sales, so its wider significance is limited to pricing trends in Korean mass retail.
Key facts
- Lotte Mart is offering seven underwear items at uniform prices of 3,000 won and 5,000 won. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Women's seamless bras are priced at 5,000 won and men's drawrs at 3,000 won. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Women's hem panties, Vivien no-pressure lace panties and Head men's trunks are each 3,000 won, while the Head running shirt is 5,000 won. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The retailer said the prices have been in place at all stores since Oct. 1. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Lotte Mart said it set a flat price on the products themselves, without gift-with-purchase offers or card discounts. [ 2 ]
- Asia Economy reported the women's seamless bra is priced about 50 percent below comparable existing brand products. [ 3 ]
- Asia Economy, citing the National Data Office, reported the September consumer price index at 120.43, up 2.9 percent from a year earlier, with the living price index up 2.5 percent. [ 3 ]
- Asia Economy reported Lotte Mart's underwear category sales rose about 5 percent year-on-year in the January-September period, citing the company. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
Still unclear
- When the uniform-price underwear offer ends. The documents describe the prices only as having applied since Oct. 1 and state no end date.
- How many units are involved and whether every store format carries the full range. Only the company's own statement of “all stores” is available, with no independent breakdown.
- The September inflation figures and the 5 percent sales growth figure. Both come from a single outlet, Asia Economy, citing the National Data Office and the company respectively.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Lotte Mart begins selling women's seamless bras at 5,000 won and men's drawrs at 3,000 won at all stores, according to the company. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Lotte Mart announces the uniform-price underwear line; Newsis and Yonhap publish reports. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Asia Economy publishes its report, citing September consumer price data and a Lotte Mart merchandiser. [ 3 ]