Consumers team up to save

[Anchor]

As food prices continue to rise significantly, consumers' shopping techniques are also evolving.

Even if they do not know each other, they are shopping together and dividing the goods, and group purchases are increasing.

Reporter Choi In-young reports from the scene of this unique 'thrifty consumption' trend.

[Report]

These individuals met in front of a large supermarket at the agreed time.

This is the first time they are seeing each other today.

["(Because of the ground beef group meeting today.) Yes, that and the salmon."]

3.3 kg of American ground beef costs 44,000 won.

This is about 20% cheaper than the market price.

["It's 8,500 won, so for three people, it's less than 3,000 won each."]

This is called a 'bulk buying group' where they buy in large quantities and divide it.

Now that the calculations are all done, the real work begins.

They take out the scale they brought and divide it into 1.1 kg each for three people.

The payment is settled on-site.

[Hwang Hye-young/Participant in the bulk buying group: "We directly trade and transfer money on-site, say 'goodbye,' and it feels cleaner and better this way."]

I searched for 'bulk buying group' on a second-hand platform.

There are numerous notifications for group purchase items, participants, and schedules.

The bulk buying group first emerged in December 2022.

In just three years, it has increased more than 20 times, and in the last year alone, it has grown over four times.

[Jeong Mi-hye/Organizer of the bulk buying group: "About a month or two ago, it suddenly started appearing prominently. There are many single-person households or two-person households these days."]

There is also a method of group purchasing where local residents order together and receive deliveries on the same day.

They utilize anonymous chat rooms, and I will visit one directly.

At first glance, it looks like an ordinary neighborhood butcher shop.

Every morning, they receive group orders via chat, and orders placed by 3:30 PM are delivered that day.

[Kim Deok-hwan/Butcher shop owner: "(Do you also do the deliveries yourself?) Yes, the order volume has increased, so we are working with riders now."]

Since they are in the same neighborhood, same-day delivery is free.

Buyers benefit from purchasing at lower prices, and sellers save on commissions.

[Lim So-jung/Group purchase consumer: "It seems that not only in our apartment but also in almost all complexes in Songdo (Incheon), many people are ordering a lot."]

[Kim Deok-hwan/Butcher shop owner: "Rather than selling one in the store, selling two in the open chat room is much better for us, even though it’s physically demanding."]

This is KBS News, Choi In-young.