South Korean shoppers are increasingly buying markdown items (discounted goods nearing sell-by dates) in the evening, when retailers typically reduce prices on ready-to-eat meals and snacks. Markdown sales at Lotte Mart and Lotte Super rose 5.9% year-on-year in the first quarter, followed by increases of 7.7% in the second quarter and 6.1% in the third quarter, covering July and August. GS25 markdown sales jumped 134% last year and increased another 32% in the first half of this year. Demand is also moving to delivery platforms: Baedal Minjok reported an 11.7% increase in markdown orders after launching a service in June, while Yogiyo said orders were up 35% from the service's early days as of last month. Ready-to-eat foods such as raw fish, deli dishes, fried foods, boxed lunches, sandwiches, burgers and gimbap are the most sought-after categories. The trend reflects pressure on household budgets amid persistent inflation. The August 2026 consumer price trends report from the National Data Office showed a consumer price index of 120.05, based on 2020 at 100, up 3.1% from a year earlier, while the living necessities index rose 3.2%. Retailers including CU, GS25 and Woowa Brothers are upgrading apps, expanding eligible products and improving marketing to support markdown sales and inventory management.