Retail sales rise 7% in April on strong performance of online food, grocery delivery services: data
Delivery motorcycles are parked in front of a restaurant in Seoul, May 25. Yonhap
Korean retailers saw their sales increase 7 percent from a year earlier in April thanks to robust demand for online food and grocery delivery services, data showed Wednesday.
Last month, the combined revenue of major online retail companies expanded 15.8 percent from a year ago, while that of offline platforms decreased 1.9 percent, according to data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
In the online sector, sales from food delivery, e-commerce coupons and travel-related services jumped 50.1 percent on-year, while revenue from grocery delivery services grew 21.3 percent.
The offline sector, however, saw its revenue go down due to sluggish consumer sentiment and a decrease in outdoor activities amid volatile weather conditions.
Supermarket sales dropped 3.1 percent on-year in April, and sales from department stores contracted 2.9 percent.