SEOUL, Dec. 28 (Korea Bizwire) — Changes in consumer lifestyle following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic are being felt in convenience store sales.
7-Eleven’s transportation card recharge sales between January and December 22 were 48.4 percent lower compared to the previous year. Sales of standard garbage bags, in contrast, were 21.8 percent higher.
During the same period, transportation card recharge sales at GS25, CU, and Emart24 were also 17 percent lower than last year, while garbage bag sales jumped by 14 to 43 percent.
Experts argue that social distancing measures have prompted people to recharge their traffic cards less frequently, as many are spending more time at home, which has led to an increasing amount of garbage.
Following the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, more consumers have been going to local convenience stores for groceries.
Vegetable sales at GS25, CU, 7-Eleven, and Emart24 between January and December 22 of this year jumped by 38 to 76 percent. Fruit sales also rose by 20 to 50 percent.
Drug sales at convenience stores also jumped by 8 to 15 percent as more consumers are choosing to go to convenience stores instead of hospitals or pharmacies for mild illnesses.
Image Credit: Yonhap / CU / photonews@koreabizwire.com
