Bamboo toothbrush (Image courtesy of Yonhap) SEOUL, Jun. 4 (Korea Bizwire) – Park, a 30-year-old office worker, recently made an uncharacteristic choice while shopping online: Instead of her usual environmentally friendly detergent, she added a regular brand to her virtual cart. Since starting to live independently in 2021, Park had used biodegradable sponges, shampoo bars and other eco-friendly products.
But with prices soaring, she found such items increasingly burdensome. Her decision to opt for a standard detergent allowed her to save a few thousand won. As relentless inflation squeezes budgets, more South Korean consumers like Park are wavering in their commitment to “ethical consumption” — products aimed at reducing environmental harm or avoiding animal testing.
Such goods often cost twice as much as mass-produced alternatives. “With the overall cost of living rising, I find myself looking at prices rather than how eco-friendly a product is,” said Ham, 34, an office worker. “I’ve been using more regular products again.
” Higher prices have taken a toll on zero-waste stores that specialize in sustainable products. The zero-waste movement encourages minimizing resource waste through reusable items and recycling potential discards like packaging. Lee Ju-eun, one of the owners of Almang Market, a zero-waste shop in Seoul’s Mapo district that opened in 2020, said, “Since last summer, we’ve frequently heard about other zero-waste stores closing.
” She .