The sales of small-sized food products catering to one- or two-person households are on the rise. 
 
According to E-Mart, South Korea's largest discount chain operator, sales of small packaged fruit surged almost 78 percent year-on-year between January and July.
 
In particular, the sales of easy-to-consume sliced fruit containers rose more than sevenfold on-year during the first seven months.
 
One-portion food products such as watermelon and raw fish, which E-Mart introduced for the first time this year, were also popular. 
 
Some 60-thousand portions of watermelon slices were sold as of late July since May when they hit the stores. Single portions of raw fish such as halibut and salmon also sold 50-thousand packages since late June.
 
In the past, buying produce in the bulk was the most economical for large families. However, with the fast rising number of double-income or single-person households, South Koreans are buying in small portions as they are not eating as much at home.