According to the National Data Agency's report on household trends for the fourth quarter of 2025, real consumer expenditure per household declined by 0.4% last year after adjusting for inflation. This marks the first time that real consumer expenditure has registered a negative figure since the agency began compiling annual consumer expenditure data in 2020. While nominal consumer expenditure saw a 1.7% increase year-over-year, it was offset by inflation, illustrating a significant shift in consumer behavior and priorities as educational expenditures significantly dropped.

Among the various expenditure categories, education expenses saw the most notable decline, dropping by 4.9% compared to the previous year. The decrease in spending on after-school programs for elementary, middle, and high school students accounted for a significant portion of this drop, reflecting a trend that began during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, where student education costs fell sharply. In contrast, spending on adult education increased by 9.2%, revealing a stark contrast in the spending habits between different age groups and a potential shift in market demands based on demographic changes.

The long-term implications of a declining school-age population due to low birth rates raise concerns about future consumer spending patterns. Demographic data indicates that the school-age population, aged 6 to 18, is projected to decrease from approximately 6.89 million in 2015 to around 5.61 million by 2025, representing about a 19% decline over ten years. As the number of children and adolescents continues to shrink, there are growing worries that the reduction in education-related expenditures may exert downward pressure on overall household spending, altering the landscape of consumer behavior and economic growth in South Korea.