[Consumerwide- Youngchul Woo Reporter/ Yohan Bok Reporter] This year, even Chuseok gifts are holding onto environmental consumption due to the consumption trend, which values the environment, starting from low-carbon or environmental products to packaging. In the fourth, according to industry, environmental consumption is becoming a major trend for Chuseok gift this year. In the case of Emart, products with "low-carbon and environmental" keywords were hot among Chuseok giftset reservation sales in the market. For instance, low-carbon certified apples and pears ranked 5th among fruit products lists.

During the low-carbon Korean beef sales event, which was held last month at Lotte department store, total stocks (10.8 tons) were completely sold out in a week. Thus, it can be interpreted as more consumers are purchasing products with "low carbon" and "eco-friendly" keywords, regardless of their costs being more expensive due to environmental values.'

Eco-friendly, pesticide-free, organic, low carbon... eco-friendly Chuseok products keep coming out on the market.

Reflecting the trend, distribution industries are presenting environmental value focused Chuseok products, and increasing stocks. Emart has increased low-carbon fruit sets by 20% compared to the same season last year. Emart is also diversifying products, including organic dried nuts and organic seasoning sets, concerning environmental trends, which used to apply only to fresh products on the market.

Hyundai department store is presenting the organic Korean beef set, which is certified animal welfare livestock farming, and low carbon Korean beef. Animal welfare livestock farming certification is a system that certifies livestock farms with an improvement in animal welfare, which is making it a condition for animals to maintain their original nature, authorized by the Animal and plant quarantine agency. In order to meet the standard, a farm has got to maintain a 2.8 folds wider feed space compared to the regulation for ordinary Korean cows while also having an exclusive playground for these cows. Hyundai department store is selling a low-carbon organic Korean beef set, which emits 45~65% of carbon compared to an ordinary cow feeding condition, by reducing the time period of feed, from 30 months (former) to 21~25 months. Lotte department store is selling low-carbon Korean beef giftsets, which reduce carbon by 65% compared to the ordinary cow feeding condition, by reducing the feed duration to 20%. Besides, Lotte is presenting low-carbon certified fruits including Shinemuskets, apples, and peaches.

Environmental trend, even to Chuseok gift packaging.

Packaging is moving towards the eco-friendly trend. Emart is eliminating any sort of plastic material for the inner part of fruit packaging this year by replacing paper. Giftboxes are uncoated for recycling and only water or starch icepacks are used. At the time of returning the cold reserving bag, they give you back 5 thousand won for a cold reserving bag and 2 thousand won for an ice bag. The policy is to prevent environmental pollution. Organic sesame and sesame oil sets contain easy-peal stickers for clean recycling, and FSC certified papers are used for giftset boxes.

Lotte department store is facilitating a collecting campaign after selling low-carbon Korean beef in cold reserve bags that are made out of recycled materials during this Chuseok.