Lotte Hi-Mart's PLUX Brand Achieves Success in First Year, Aiming for 200 Billion Won in Sales

Lotte Hi-Mart's private brand (PB) PLUX is experiencing growth, particularly among one- to two-person households and younger consumers.

The company reported on May 21 that its overall PB sales increased by 15% year-on-year from April of last year to March of this year. In the first quarter of this year, sales rose by 26% compared to the same period last year.

PLUX was designed to cater to the needs of one- to two-person households, which tend to prefer smaller appliances due to limited living space and prioritize price and energy efficiency. The company stated, "PLUX differentiates its key products based on these characteristics."

The flagship product, the PLUX 245L refrigerator, sold over 40,000 units in one year, making it the best-selling refrigerator in Lotte Hi-Mart's lineup. The company attributed its success to the refrigerator's 200L capacity, top energy efficiency rating, and a five-year extended warranty, which align with customer demands. Additionally, the proportion of customers in their 20s has increased since the launch of PLUX.

Lotte Hi-Mart is also expanding the PLUX product line into subscription services. In March, it introduced the "PLUX Subscription Service" for popular categories such as washing machines, air conditioners, and rice cookers, with plans to include water purifiers in June.

In July, Lotte Hi-Mart will launch a dedicated PLUX store where customers can explore all PLUX appliances in one location. The company aims to boost PLUX sales from 130 billion won last year to over 200 billion won this year. Park Byeong-yong, head of Lotte Hi-Mart's PB overseas sourcing division, stated, "PLUX has achieved sales growth and changes in the purchasing demographic within just one year of its launch. We will continue to develop it as a daily appliance brand."

Lotte Hi-Mart introduced PLUX after approximately a year of consulting, consumer research, and product planning that began in April of last year. The concept of PLUX is based on the idea of "changing daily life with small differences."