Characters do the heavy lifting as Pepero Day rivalry heats up

With Nov. 11 — Pepero Day, one of the retail industry's biggest second-half sales events — approaching, food companies and convenience store chains are racing to capture demand. Because the holiday falls on a weekday this year, industry insiders expect strong sales of so-called "loyalty Pepero," the casual gifting of the snack among coworkers and acquaintances. Brands are layering character merchandise collaborations on top of that baseline demand as a way to stand out.

The industry invests heavily in Pepero Day because the holiday draws an unusually broad base of buyers. Unlike Valentine's Day or White Day, which center on gifts between romantic partners, Pepero Day encompasses friends, coworkers and family — making it far less niche and cementing its place as a major sales event for both convenience stores and food manufacturers.

Intellectual property tie-ups have become the go-to tool for driving higher spending. Bundling character goods with Pepero purchases pulls in not only snack buyers but also character fandoms, and raises the average amount each customer spends per visit.

The strategy's impact shows up clearly in sales figures. During last year's Pepero Day promotional period, CU's related sales rose 32.4 percent from the previous year, with character and brand collaboration products up 55 percent. The share of differentiated Pepero Day products in CU's overall Pepero sales climbed from 23.2 percent in 2022 to 36.6 percent last year. Seven-Eleven also posted a 120 percent year-on-year increase in Pepero Day sales last year.

This year's standout collaboration product is GS25's Anpanman Tape-Measure Keyring Pepero Set. A single Pepero stick retails for 1,600 won, but the set — bundling two Pepero sticks with an Anpanman tape-measure keyring — sells for 12,500 won ($9). The higher price has not dampened interest: the set topped the trending-search chart on GS25's "Our Neighborhood GS" app as of 3 p.m. Friday, and posts from customers hunting for remaining stock have been multiplying as supplies sell out quickly.

CU has themed its 2026 Pepero Day campaign around "the ultimate evolution of cuteness," unveiling 28 collaboration products tied to popular characters including Pokémon and Tamagotchi. The chain partnered with Tamagotchi — a first for the convenience store industry — to release a lineup of goods including hand-warmer plush toys, keyrings, squishy figures, fleece blankets and mood lamps. Its Pokémon line features products depicting sleeping Pokémon. CU is also running concept stores in Seongsu and Hongdae themed around Pokémon and Tamagotchi respectively.

Seven-Eleven launched 23 special products this Pepero Day through collaborations with three IP partners: eight items tied to Jo&Friends, a character brand created by G-Dragon and IPX (formerly Line Friends); eight Sanrio Characters items; and seven products featuring K/DA, the virtual artist group from Riot Games.

Lotte Wellfood is also targeting foreign tourists, operating Pepero bus pop-up stores in high-traffic tourist areas including Gwanghwamun and Seongsu. The company aims to introduce Pepero Day — so far largely a domestic phenomenon — to international visitors and raise the brand's profile globally.

The push extends overseas as well. Lotte Wellfood is running a large outdoor advertisement in New York's Times Square from Oct. 19 through Nov. 15, alongside a separate ad at the Koreatown Plaza in Los Angeles, as part of an effort to build awareness of Pepero Day in the North American market.

"Consumers are increasingly looking to own and use their favorite characters in daily life, going beyond simply eating or gifting holiday products," an industry official said. "Collaboration products targeting character fandoms can attract not only existing customers but also entirely new consumer segments, which is why they have become a key differentiation strategy across the industry."