Amid the "breadflation" debate, meaning rising bread prices, bagel prices jumped 44% over three years. Salt bread and sandwich prices, which rank first and second in sales, also recorded increases in the 30% range.
According to the Bakery Market Trend Report by Korea Credit Data (KCD) on the 9th, the bread with the highest average monthly sales share in the first half of this year was salt bread (15.7%).
Sandwiches (15.0%) ranked second, followed by sandwich bread (7.2%), croissants (5.3%), and bagels (5.2%).
KCD analyzed the median price trends of the 10 best-selling breads in the first half of this year and found that bagel prices rose the most.
As of the end of June, the median price of bagels was 4,400 won to 4,900 won, up 44% from June 2022 three years ago.
Sandwiches (7,500 won to 8,300 won; 32%) and salt bread (3,300 won to 3,700 won; 30%) also recorded increases in the 30% range.
The average monthly median price by bread type refers to the price located in the middle when the selling amounts set by business sites for each bread menu are listed in order.
According to KCD, as recently as the second half of 2022, many shops priced salt bread in the 2,000 won to 2,500 won range, but as prices steadily rose, the 3,000 won to 3,500 won range has now become the mainstream.
According to the Bank of Korea's economic statistics system, the consumer price index for bread in August rose 6.5% from the same month a year earlier.
Compared with June 2022, it jumped 19.4%. Bagel, sandwich, and salt bread prices rose more than twice as much as the average bread price during this period.
Bread prices rose, but the profitability of bakery and cafe sectors has gradually deteriorated, the survey found.
According to KCD, as of June this year, the average monthly sales for the bakery and confectionery shop sector were about 9.07 million won. After a two-year decline in sales, they turned to a deficit.
This means expenses such as rent, ingredient costs, and labor costs exceeded sales.
The average monthly sales in the teahouse, coffee shop, and cafe sector were about 7.24 million won, and while the fluctuations in sales and expenses were not large, net profit has been gradually decreasing.
There was also a case where popular economics YouTuber "Shuka" said in Aug. that he would respond to breadflation by selling salt bread and bagels for 990 won, then halted sales after about a week.
This was because self-employed workers pushed back, saying it "made it seem like existing bakeries were selling bread at high prices."
A gap between franchises and independent bakeries was also identified. Large franchises had higher sales indices and lower closure rates, while independent bakeries had relatively smaller sales and higher closure rates.
KCD said it prepared the report by analyzing about 37,000 business sites that use Cash Note and have records of bread sales in POS data and delivery app data between June 2022 and June 2025, and about 15,000 business sites that, as of June 2024 to June 2025, fall under two sectors based on KCD's industry classification standards (confectionery shops and confectionery shops, teahouses, coffee shops, and cafes).