Usage of the agriculture and food voucher at GS25 convenience stores and GS The Fresh supermarkets operated by GS Retail increased about 14 times in two years.
The agriculture and food voucher is a food support program run by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT). It was introduced to support healthy eating for vulnerable groups and to promote consumption of domestic agricultural products.
Support ranges from 40,000 won per month for a one-person household to a maximum of 187,000 won for households of 10 or more. Users can purchase domestic vegetables and fruit, meat, fresh eggs, white milk, mixed grains, tofu products, and forest products at designated merchants.
GS Retail said on the 4th that usage of the "agriculture and food voucher" at GS25 and GS The Fresh last year, based on payment amount, increased 14 times (1,350.1%) compared with 2023, the first year of participation in the program. It projected that usage from January to May this year more than doubled from a year earlier and will reach an all-time high.
GS Retail analyzed that the increase in usage was influenced by GS25 and GS The Fresh, which have a network of more than 18,600 stores nationwide, joining as designated merchants from the early stage of the program, thereby improving product access and purchase convenience.
GS25 expanded the number of items available for purchase with the agriculture and food voucher to more than 830 a year. Recently, it increased the number of fresh-focused stores to 900, strengthening shopping functions centered on one-person households. Fresh-focused stores are specialized outlets with enhanced competitiveness in fresh foods, and their average daily sales are 1.6 times those of general convenience stores.
GS The Fresh, leveraging its sourcing competitiveness in fresh foods, is focusing on operating categories such as domestic vegetables, fruit, and livestock products, while working to reduce consumer burdens through various discount events.
The two companies will also hold special discount events in June to promote consumption of domestic agricultural and food products. GS25 will run discounts and buy-one-get-one (1+1) promotions on domestic vegetables, fruit, and mixed grains through the 15th. GS The Fresh will hold price stabilization events through September, focusing on seasonal fruit such as watermelons and oriental melons, fresh vegetables, and premium Korean beef, known as hanwoo.