Korea Consumer Agency releases 2025 Korean Consumer Life Index

Daejeon consumers rate food, dining highest in country

Traditional market use outpaces department stores in the city

[Provided by Korea Consumer Agency]
[Provided by Korea Consumer Agency]

Daejeon has ranked first in the nation for consumer satisfaction in daily life, with the city's thriving local food and bakery scene — led by Sungsimdang — driving particularly high scores in food and dining.

The Korea Consumer Agency released its 2025 Korean Consumer Life Index on Wednesday, analyzing overall consumer satisfaction across all 17 metropolitan and provincial governments nationwide.

According to the findings, Daejeon consumers recorded a satisfaction score of 67.4, the highest in the country and 3.7 points above the national average of 63.7. The city has climbed steadily in the rankings, rising from ninth place in 2021 to second in 2023 and first this year.

Food and dining was the category where Daejeon consumers expressed the greatest satisfaction, scoring 73.0 amid growing nationwide popularity for the city's local bakeries and food businesses. The category rose from third place in 2023 to first in 2025.

Residential goods and home products came in second at 72.8, followed by clothing at 72.0 and information and communications technology at 71.8. By contrast, consumers were comparatively less satisfied with ceremonial services such as weddings and funerals (65.7), automobiles and transportation (66.7), and financial services and insurance (67.4).

The share of Daejeon consumers who encountered problems during purchases or consumption stood at 47.9 percent, below the national average of 50.4 percent. By transaction type, mobile shopping (44.3 percent) and internet shopping (41.0 percent) generated the most complaints, while food products (31.5 percent) and dining services (29.1 percent) topped the list by product category.

Some 68.0 percent of Daejeon consumers said they patronize local small businesses. Traditional market use reached 40.9 percent, outpacing department store use at 36.5 percent. The consumer cooperative utilization rate was 10.6 percent — roughly double the national average of 5.5 percent. The agency attributed these figures to the popularity of local food businesses and government policies promoting local commerce, including regional gift voucher programs.

The Korea Consumer Agency said it plans to share the findings with all 17 metropolitan and provincial governments so the data can inform the development and implementation of consumer policies that residents can feel in their daily lives.


spa@heraldcorp.com