Ministry of Trade Industry and Resources

2026 First Half Retailer Sales

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR, Minister JK Kim) announced that total sales at 26 major retailers (15 brick-and-mortar retailers and 11 online retailers) in the first half of 2026 rose 7.3 percent year-on-year, with offline sales up 6.2 percent and online sales up 8.1 percent.

The first half of 2026 saw department store sales surge on improved consumer sentiment and higher sales to foreign tourists. Convenience store sales returned to growth and online sales rose steadily, while hypermarkets and super supermarkets (SSMs) remained weak.

Online sales rose 8.1 percent as consumers purchased more food online, further establishing online retail as a grocery-shopping channel. This was somewhat slower than the 14.4 percent strong growth recorded in the first half of 2025, reflecting the high comparison base. 

Offline sales rose 6.2 percent, driven by gains at department stores (up 20.1 percent) and convenience stores (up 3.7 percent). In contrast, hypermarkets (down 7.3 percent) and SSMs (down 6.6 percent) remained weak.

Department stores, which have been transforming into experiential retail spaces, saw sales growth surge from 0.5 percent in the first half of 2025 to 20.1 percent in the first half of 2026, as consumer sentiment improved and sales to foreign tourists increased.

Convenience store sales returned to growth, rising 3.7 percent after falling 1.0 percent in the first half of 2025. The rebound was supported by the resulting base effect and the early onset of hot weather. The number of transactions also rose steadily from February 2026, indicating more frequent consumer visits.

Weak sales in food, the core category for hypermarkets and SSMs, continued to weigh on both channels. Hypermarkets consequently posted their ninth consecutive quarterly decline, a streak dating to the second quarter of 2024, while SSMs recorded their fourth, dating to the third quarter of 2025.

Nevertheless, the gap between offline and online sales growth narrowed, supported by the base effect from a 0.5 percent decline in the first half of 2025 and strong department store sales.

Improving consumer sentiment drove broad-based growth across all product categories, including home appliances and cultural goods (up 9.7 percent), fashion and accessories (up 8.2 percent), household goods (up 6.3 percent), and food (up 5.0 percent). Premium international brands posted particularly strong growth of 30.8 percent. In the food category, online sales rose 11.0 percent, while offline sales fell 0.5 percent.
 

2026 June Retailer Sales

In June 2026, total sales at the 26 major retailers rose 9.5 percent year-on-year, with offline sales up 6.4 percent and online sales up 11.7 percent.

Sales at department stores and convenience stores rose 22.2 percent and 5.1 percent, respectively, marking the twelfth consecutive month of growth for both channels since July 2025. Hypermarket and SSM sales remained weak, falling 10.5 percent and 10.8 percent.

Sales of home appliances and cultural goods surged 31.1 percent, while sales of premium international brands climbed 34.3 percent. Food sales rose 4.8 percent overall, with online sales up 11.2 percent and offline sales down 1.1 percent.

Sales shares by channel were 60.4 percent for online retailers, 15.2 percent for department stores, 15.0 percent for convenience stores, 7.5 percent for hypermarkets, and 1.9 percent for SSMs.