In South Korea, a senior mobile convenience store initiative, operated by BGF Retail under the CU brand, has emerged as a crucial solution to the challenges faced by residents in so-called 'food desert' regions where acquiring groceries is difficult. Since its launch in January, this initiative collaborates with senior job agencies across the nation and focuses on visiting these underserved areas to sell essential items and food. Recently released operational data from the program indicates that demand for essential goods is considerably higher in these areas compared to average convenience store metrics, highlighting the pressing needs of these communities.

The analysis revealed that toilet paper constituted 25.9% of total sales, a staggering 96 times higher than the average across all CU stores, confirming that items such as detergents and snacks also recorded significantly elevated sales figures. In response to these insights, BGF Retail has been strategically adjusting its product offerings to better cater to the unique demands of local consumers. This includes expanding the availability of essential products like toilet paper, snacks, and instant noodles while strengthening promotional activities for items such as 1+1 toilet rolls, thus enhancing the selection of necessities particularly appealing to the elderly population.

As a result, the adjustments made for the fourth and fifth deployments of the initiative resulted in substantial increases in sales for various products—baked goods surged by approximately six times, cooking oil by five times, and household goods by three times. BGF's communication executive emphasized that the pronounced demand for essentials such as toilet paper, detergents, and coffee underscores the difficulties faced by residents in food desert areas in obtaining everyday necessities. The initiative represents a significant step towards improving the living conditions and conveniences for these communities, reflecting a concerted effort to support their needs.