In the future, you will be able to buy alcohol at a cheaper price at retail outlets such as restaurants, bars and convenience stores. In other words, a restaurant can purchase a bottle of soju from a wholesaler at around 1,500 won and sell it to consumers at a lower price. Although the intention is to stabilize prices by activating competition for discounts on alcohol prices at retail stores, there is also a skeptical outlook among self-employed people, saying, “Will this lead to actual consumer price cuts?”
According to the industry on the 2nd, the government has decided to broadly apply the authoritative interpretation of the liquor notice to enable liquor discounts and below-cost sales to stimulate domestic demand. Previously, the National Tax Service was reported to have delivered such guidance to 11 alcohol-related organizations, including the Korea Liquor Industry Association and the Korea Liquor Importers Association.
In the past, discount sales and below-cost sales of alcoholic beverages were pointed out as representative examples of disrupting the order of alcoholic beverage transactions and were strictly prohibited. However, as the government decided to apply authoritative interpretation widely, it could be implemented immediately without administrative procedures such as revision of public notice. In particular, it is reported that the government is ordering retail stores and restaurants to actively utilize it.
This guideline is interpreted as an attempt to reduce the burden on the common people in a situation where a bottle of soju, which is considered a representative liquor for the common people, is sold for 5,000 to 6,000 won. In some areas, such as Gangnam, soju is sold for 7,000 to 8,000 won. According to the Consumer Price Survey by the National Statistical Office, as of June, the price of soju at restaurants increased by 11.2% from a year ago. Beer also rose 6.3%, far exceeding the overall consumer price index (2.7%).
Accordingly, it is expected that restaurants and marts will intensify their ‘alcohol discount competition’ in the future. The government is expecting that as 스포츠토토restaurants can sell alcohol at a low price for publicity purposes, the price of alcohol at a restaurant will go down.
This is because the restaurant can sell the beer supplied for 2,000 won for promotion and marketing at a price of 2,000 won or cheaper without attaching a margin. There is room for marts that have built large-scale purchase and distribution networks to use alcohol discounts as “bait products” to attract customers. An official from the National Tax Service explained, “We plan to reduce the burden of inflation by inducing discounts on alcoholic beverages. Free competition among companies will lower the price of alcoholic beverages and increase consumer benefits.”
However, some question whether it will lead to a real consumer price reduction even if a discount on alcohol prices becomes possible. An official from the distribution industry said, “In fact, it is difficult to sell alcoholic beverages at a lower price than the supply price, and we expect that a temporary discount sale for events will appear.”
Currently, liquor manufacturers deliver a bottle of soju to wholesalers for 1,100 to 1,200 won (tax included). Wholesalers receive 1,400 to 1,500 won, about 25% higher, by adding fuel costs, transportation costs, labor costs, operating costs, and margins , and supply them to retail stores such as marts and pubs. The soju supplied in this way costs about 1,500 to 1,600 won at supermarkets and 4,000 to 6,000 won at restaurants.It has been sold on the won line. If you look at the margin of 6,000 won soju, you have about 4,500 won (75%) left over per bottle.
Self-employed people are negative to this discount sales policy. This is because the price of soju and beer sold at restaurants includes a large portion of the cost of seating, labor costs, and operating margins, so the cost reduction effect will not be significant.
President A (45), who runs a sashimi restaurant in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, said, “The price of ingredients has risen a lot and consumer sentiment is not good, so food margins have decreased significantly. Even if there is a temporary alcohol price discount, customers who come after seeing the cheap price think they will turn around as soon as the discount is over,” said Mr. B (48), who runs a meat restaurant in
Mapo-gu, saying, “If you lower the price of alcohol, you raise the price of food and sales decrease. However, in the case of a new company, in order to establish a position in the commercial district, it may be possible to hold an event for 1,000 won for soju and 2,000 won for beer at the beginning of the business, but in this case, the price I am skeptical that there will be any restaurants that actually survive the bloody competition.”
