Retail giants such as Shinsegae Group and Lotte Group are rolling out paid vaccine leave for staff as the country’s vaccine rollout gathers speed. Shinsegae Group, the retail giant behind Shinsegae Department Store and Emart, said on Monday it would provide two days off work to those who get vaccinated. The group said one additional day off will be provided to those who have side effects from vaccination. “We are actively providing our employees with an environment where they can

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said Sunday it would take steps to replace sell-by dates with the use-by dates in an effort to give food a longer shelf life and reduce food waste. Sell-by dates on food products indicate the period of time said products can be distributed and sold. But use-by dates show how long products can be stored for and still used. The latter often lasts longer than the former, though sell-by dates are what is currently used in the country. Milk, for instance, oft

Members of BTS Army proud to see BTS Meal launched in McDonald’s in 49 countries

South Korean food company SPC Samlip has signed an exclusive contract with US-based Chobani to distribute and sell their yogurt products here, the company said Thursday. Starting July, SPC Samlip said it will exclusively supply Chobani products to retailers here, and also work on producing new products under the brand using homegrown ingredients. Chobani supports the Farmer’s Assuring Responsible Management animal welfare program, which ensures that farms supplying milk to the company

Food delivery service Coupang Eats will drastically hike delivery incentives for veteran delivery workers in a trial next month amid growing competition to secure more drivers. In a recent announcement to a select group of its drivers, the company said seasoned delivery workers can claim up to 6,500 won ($5.79) per delivery, more than double the regular delivery fee of 2,500 won given to Coupang Eats drivers per delivery. To receive the higher “Legend” wage, workers must have carr

E-commerce giant Coupang will introduce a health care program to a select group of its delivery drivers, the company said Tuesday, as the country’s online shopping boom has left delivery workers exposed to even more relentless work conditions. Dubbed as “Coupang Care,” the program will see partakers set aside from their regular assignments and instead receive education on healthy diets, exercise and disease management from experts for four weeks. The drivers, known as “

From milk-inspired body wash to candies inspired by carbonated beverage, quirky collaborations are all the rage in Korea

Food and beverage company Hy, previously known as Korea Yakult, said on Thursday it will enter the plant-based protein market with its new brand Protein Code. Though the company previously released protein-focused products, it marks the first time it has launched a brand dedicated to protein-heavy products. “Protein Code products are 100 percent plant-based, keeping in line with consumer trends such as going vegan and value-based consumption,” the company said in a statement. The

More retailers are joining the trend to go label-free on their water bottles amid growing environmental awareness and green marketing efforts in the industry. South Korean supermarket chain Homeplus said on Wednesday that it has so far sold some 1.34 million label-free bottles of water, which were released as part of its premium private brand Homeplus Signature late last month. Described as an “ethical consumption” product, the supermarket estimated the label-less water bottles red

South Korean distiller HiteJinro said on Tuesday it has extended an advertising partnership with Major League Baseball team LA Dodgers for another three years. First signed in 2012, the ongoing deal will help promote the company’s products and boosts its global brand awareness among local baseball fans during the Major League Baseball season, the company said. With the deal in effect until 2024, the two will have teamed up for more than a decade following the new signing. The move will

Convenience store chain GS25 is opening three locations in Mongolia, in its second major overseas foray, the company said on Tuesday. According to GS Retail, the firm behind the chain, it has partnered with Shunkhlai Group, one of leading conglomerates in the country, to enter the Mongolian market. A launch event was held in both South Korea and Mongolia, livestreamed online on Tuesday, with company officials as well as dignitaries from both countries in attendance, including the South Kore

Coupang, South Korea’s e-commerce giant, is offering discounts of up to 40 percent on overseas direct purchases and Coupang direct import items for three days through through Wednesday, as part of its “Global Shopping Day.” Items are organized by theme for the three-day event to help customers shop with more ease and convenience. Under the theme “Get ready for summer now,” customers can shop for home gym equipment and dietary supplements such as protein supplem

South Korean fashion brand Junn.J has revealed the uniform for staff at entertainment giant Hybe’s new museum. The ensemble consisting of a white T-shirt and a black wide sleeve top and a pair of black cargo jogger pants will be worn by staff at Hybe Insight, which opened last week on the two basement floors of Hybe’s new headquarters in Yongsan, central Seoul. The design took on board Hybe Insight’s image, a venue where music can be experienced in various ways and Junn. J&rs

Japanese beauty firm DHC has come under fire once again after its chairman used discriminatory language targeting ethnic Koreans in a recent column on its official website. CEO Yoshiaki Yoshida claimed the company’s request to place an advertisement in newspapers and air a TV commercial has been rejected by multiple media outlets in Japan. The proposed ad featured names of ethnic Korean celebrities who “deserve to be despised for the benefit of Japan,” according to the post.

Gmarket is holding its Mega G Festival, an online shopping event targeted at foreign shoppers at home and abroad until next Tuesday, offering discounts for a wide range of items including K-pop albums, K-beauty and Korean food products. The event kicked off on the Gmarket Global Shop in conjunction with eBay Korea’s Big Smile Day, a shopping event organized by operators of multiple e-commerce platforms including Gmarket, Auction and G9. The event saw some 2.87 million items sold on its op