SEOUL, Jan. 5 (Korea Bizwire) — With the atmosphere of New Year’s celebrations being toned down due to the spread of COVID-19, the number of consumers buying alcohol and daily necessities at convenience stores rather than writing materials for New Year’s resolutions increased.
Convenience store chain E-Mart 24 analyzed sales trends for the Jan. 1-3 period, and noted that the sale of alcohol such as soju and beer rose by 98 percent and 81 percent, respectively, compared to a year ago.
Sales of daily necessities such as vegetable and condiments (78 percent), simple home meals (71 percent), large-sized beverages (68 percent), instant noodles (49 percent) and instant rice (43 percent) also rose sharply year on year.
In contrast, the sales growth of writing materials, envelopes, notebooks, salads and eundan (breath freshener) which marked strong growth of 119 percent, 87 percent, 59 percent, 128 percent and 54 percent, respectively, in the Jan. 1-3 period of last year slowed to single digit figures this year.
“There has been a decline in sales of the so-called New Year’s resolution items, including writing materials, envelopes and products for losing weight or quitting smoking,” E-Mart24 said.
Image Credit: E-Mart24 / photonews@koreabizwire.com