One of the places that I must visit is the supermarket when I travel to another country. This is because it says a lot about what the locals like and consume as only the best selling products survive on the shelf. So for those of you that are not familiar with supermarkets in Seoul, I’ll go over the best and the most popular supermarkets Koreans visit.
Things you need to know before visiting the supermarkets
Supermarkets in Korea are usually closed on every month’s 2nd and 4th Sundays. This applies to the biggest supermarkets. If you are in desperate need of something on either of these days, the local convenience store is your best bet.
Plastic bags cost extra. Every large supermarket will have reusable bags for sale near the counter, and these are a much better alternative. They’re cheaper in the long run and also better for the environment!
Many Korean supermarkets will have memberships. These can give special bonuses and will often provide discounts. Some supermarkets, like Costco in Korea, require membership to enter the store.
Discount deals are prevalent in Korea. One of the most famous is 1+1 or 2+1. This means that if you buy one (or two), you will get one free!
Some supermarkets have delivery! All of the ‘Big 3’ (Emart, Homeplus and Lotte Mart) have a delivery service that can be used to deliver your groceries to your doorstep.
Here are the biggest and the most popular supermarkets in Seoul, Korea
Emart
This supermarket is the biggest and the most popular as they offer the best products at an affordable price. They were they reason why Wal-mart was not able to succeed in Korea as Koreans prefer higher quality in smaller packages as oppose to the wholesale like type of supermarket. Also Emart was able to grow rapidly due to its integration with Shinsegae the parent company. Emart was founded in 1993 and it is both the oldest and largest discount chain in Korea. If there's an Emart close by, I would definitely recommend visiting this supermarket first!
You should also check out Nobrand which is a subsidiary of Emart. Nobrand is a separate brand that Shinsegae made offering the lowest possible price. You can think of Kirkland from Costco as Nobrand from Emart. So if you are on a budget, Nobrand may suit your needs.
Homeplus
This is another big Korean supermarket chain. You might be more familiar with Tesco if you haven't heard of Homeplus. This supermarket has the most selection of non-perishable foods at an affordable price. Whether you are looking for cosmetics, clothing, toys, or even pets, you will find them at Homeplus.
Lotte Mart
Lotte Mart is currently the third-largest ‘hypermarket’ in Korea. Lotte Mart's parent company is Lotte which owns Lotte Tower, Lotte World, and Lotte Foods. They probably have the best food court out of the big 3 supermarkets. You can think of Lotte Mart in between Emart and Homeplus in terms is products as they sell well balanced of fresh goods and non-perishable foods.
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