This article was posted on the ChosunBiz RM Report site at 4:41 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2025.
The "chicken weight labeling system," which requires mandatory disclosure of weights for chicken menu items, took effect, but on the first day of the system, it was still difficult to properly check weight information on delivery apps. Critics said consumer confusion is inevitable because the display methods vary by delivery platform and chicken franchise.
According to the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety on the 16th, mandatory weight labeling for 10 major chicken franchises began the previous day to strengthen consumers' right to know and block so-called "weight tricks." The targets are BBQ, BHC, Kyochon Chicken, Cheogajip Yangnyeom Chicken, Goobne Chicken, Pelicana, Nene Chicken, Mexicana, Gcova Yangnyeom Chicken, and Hosigi Two Chicken.
The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety estimates that these chicken brands have about 12,560 franchise stores nationwide, or about 32% of all chicken specialty shops (about 50,000). A survey of the target franchise headquarters' websites found about 297 chicken menu items are being sold. Chicken brands must indicate the pre-cooking chicken weight on store menus as well as on the headquarters website and in the store and menu information within delivery apps.
The industry sees delivery apps as the key factor determining the system's effectiveness, as about 80% of chicken sales are made through delivery. However, a review of major delivery apps on the first day of implementation found few places where weight labeling was fully reflected.
On Baemin, only Kyochon Chicken's weight information was viewable. Even then, it required an extra tap on "View nutrition and allergen information" after selecting a menu item, making it hard to grasp intuitively during the ordering stage. BHC, BBQ, and Goobne Chicken provided only nutrition information without weight labeling. The remaining brands showed neither weight nor nutrition information.
On Coupang Eats, weight information was available for some brands such as Kyochon Chicken, BHC, BBQ, and Goobne Chicken. But it did not appear directly on the app screen. Users had to click several times and move to each company's website to check the weight.
The system was introduced amid recent controversy over reduced chicken weights (shrinkflation). Kyochon Chicken cut the weight of its boneless chicken and sold it without separate notice, prompting a de facto price hike controversy; after the issue was raised during a National Assembly audit, the company restored the original weight. Building on this, on Dec. 2 the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, the Fair Trade Commission, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Ministry of SMEs and Startups jointly announced "Measures to address capacity tricks in the food sector," making weight labeling mandatory across the chicken industry.
All chicken menu items made with chicken meat are subject to weight labeling. The standard is the raw material meat weight "before cooking," not "after cooking." This accounts for the nature of the dining-out industry, where moisture and oil are lost during cooking and the finished goods weight can vary. If chicken size grades are used, listing only the size grade alone is not allowed; the weight range in grams (g) must also be presented.
However, it is expected to take considerable time for the system to take root in the field. As the system was implemented just two weeks after the government announcement, critics said there was not enough time to update store menus and delivery app information. Taking into account the industry's preparedness, the government plans to operate a guidance period through June 30, 2026.
During the guidance period, failure to display weight will not lead to administrative sanctions. But starting in July 2026, businesses that do not display weights will face a first-step correction order, a seven-day business suspension from the second violation, and a 15-day suspension for a third violation, among other phased administrative actions. They will also be punished if the displayed weight differs from the actual weight. If the actual weight is 20% or more but less than 30% below the display, a correction order or up to a 15-day suspension will be imposed. If it is 30% or more below, it will be deemed false weight labeling, punishable by up to a one-month suspension.
Separately, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety plans to build an industry self-regulation framework. Targeting major franchise headquarters in the dining-out sector, including the chicken category, it will recommend that consumers be notified if a product's price is raised or its weight is reduced.
An official at the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said, "All raw meat of livestock and the cooked foods prepared with that meat can fall under the law, but we are prioritizing the chicken sector to reflect consumer demands stemming from recent weight reduction cases," adding, "After operating the chicken weight labeling system, we will monitor how the system settles and consider adding other cooked foods in light of consumer demands."