This file photo taken March 5, 2023, shows groups of people visiting a park on the banks of the Han River in Yeouido, western Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 25 (Korea Bizwire) — Retail sales in South Korea rose 6.4 percent on-year in March as people’s growing outdoor activities boosted demand for fashion and other items, the industry ministry said Tuesday.
The combined sales of 25 major offline and online retailers came to 14.5 trillion won (US$10.89 billion) last month, compared with 13.6 trillion won a year earlier, according to the data compiled by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The on-year increase came as more people turned to outdoor activities in spring amid the stabilized virus situation and the government’s lifting of antivirus curbs.
Last month, the government removed the mask mandate on public transportation around two months after the removal of mask-wearing rules for most indoor spaces in a major step toward the return to pre-pandemic normalcy.
Sales of offline retailers jumped 6.6 percent on-year to 7.31 trillion won in March, as demand for clothing and fashion items jumped 17.8 percent on-year.
Goods for children and sporting also went up 14.5 percent, and sales of food grew 8.1 percent on-year in March.
But sales of electronics at offline shops and other housing items fell 5.6 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively, from a year earlier, the data showed.
Department stores saw their sales rise 9.5 percent, and sales at discount chain stores, such as E-Mart and Lotte Mart, inched up 1.2 percent on-year.
Convenience stores also enjoyed a 9.7 percent sales growth thanks to strong demand for smaller food packages and everyday items, the ministry said.
But smaller supermarkets saw their sales fall 1.0 percent on-year last month, the data showed.
Online platforms saw their sales advance 6.1 percent on-year to 7.18 trillion won in March.
Among categories, sales of fashion items surged 14.1 percent on-year and demand for foodstuffs climbed 7.5 percent from a year earlier, according to the ministry.
Online platforms accounted for 49.6 percent of total sales in March, it added.
(Yonhap)
