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Economic depression is pushing up alcohol consumption. The Korea Alcohol and Liquor Industry Association on Wednesday said consumption of soju (traditional Korean distilled liquor) increased by 5.1 percent, of beer by 5.3 percent and of whisky by 4.4 percent from January to September over the same period last year.
Over this period, total 2.54 billion bottles of soju were consumed, increasing per-capita consumption by three bottles to 53.
Beer consumption increased approximately 150 million bottles to 2.94 billion bottles. Per-capita beer consumption also increased by three bottles to 61. Whisky sales, which usually drop in a recession, rose by 4.4 percent (1.66 million) bottles compared to last year.
Since the stock market plummeted last month, alcohol consumption has been soaring. Soju consumption in September alone rose by 7.9 percent to some 2 million bottles and beer consumption by 6.9 percent to 334 million bottles compared to the same month last year. Per-capita consumption for soju was 5.9 bottles and for beer 7 bottles.
Alcohol sales in supermarkets and convenience stores have also increased. Convenience store GS25 saw its soju consumption from Oct. 1 to 26 rise by 8.5 percent and beer by a staggering 18.4 percent.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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