Family spending on eating-out to increase

Expenses on eating-out, which reduced during the currency crisis, have sharply turned around to an increasing trend. According to the National Statistical Office on Sept. 18, expenses on eating out including at work by the city worker families for the first half of the year recorded a monthly average of 182,800 Won, an increase of 29.4% form the same period last year. This corresponds to an increase of 1.6 times from the currency crisis.

Considering that the monthly average income of city workers increased by 1.1 times from 2,163,000 won during the first half of 1998 to 2,340,000 won for this year¡¯s first half, indicating that the increase on eating-out far exceeds the salary increase. Expenses on eating out have been constantly increasing. The monthly average for the first half of 1995 was 111,300 won and 125,000 won for the second half. It was 134,800 won for the first half of 1996; 145,000 won for the second half; 157,100 won for the first half of 1997; and 160,700 won for the second half.

However, during the currency crisis, it dramatically reduced to 115,900 won during the first half of 1998. Then it started to pick up momentum from the second half of 1998 with 129,000 won to 141,300 won in the first of 1999 and 165,400 in the second half.

Consequently, the weight of the expenses on eating-out to the total expense on foodstuff in the standard of the first half of 2000 records 33.7% in 1995; 36.1% in 1996; 39.2% in 1997; 34.7% in 1998; 36.7% in 1999; and 43% in 2000. It has exceeded the 40% level for the first time.

Lee Myung-Jai mjlee@donga.com