Convenience Stores and Department Stores Lead Offline Growth
Online Sales Surge with Food Delivery and Services
Convenience store sales recorded an increase for the first time in four months. This turnaround in consumer visits (number of purchases) was influenced by the early heatwave and the use of consumer recovery coupons. In particular, sales of processed foods such as beverages, which help cool down during the summer, saw a significant increase.
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on August 27, offline sales at major retail companies (13 offline and 10 online) in July rose by 2.7%, while online sales increased by 15.3%, resulting in a total sales growth of 9.1% compared to the same month last year.
Offline sales increased at department stores (5.1%), convenience stores (3.9%), and super supermarkets (1.8%), while large discount stores continued to underperform, recording a decline of 2.4%.
Although convenience store sales increased due to the effect of consumer coupons, large discount stores, which were not eligible for coupon use, continued to struggle-except for January and May-due to both a decline in visitors and a drop in average purchase value, as consumers increasingly shifted to online shopping. In contrast, super supermarkets, which have shown steady growth, expanded promotional events in line with the government's consumption stimulus policies, achieving growth for the fifth consecutive month.
Department stores continued to grow, led by luxury goods and food categories. All categories except miscellaneous goods achieved positive growth. In particular, the previously sluggish apparel and children's & sports sectors saw an increase thanks to intensified promotional campaigns.
Online sales have shown continuous growth since statistics began, driven by the expansion of online purchasing by consumers, intensified promotional competition within the industry, and the growth of service sectors. Additionally, special promotions for summer products such as water play items led to a temporary surge in clothing and sports categories.
By product category, offline sales rose mainly in food (2.7%), services and others (4.4%), and global luxury brands (11.3%). Online growth was led by services such as food delivery, e-coupons, and travel products (24.9%), as well as food (24.2%).
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