Retail sales share South Korea 2023, by product group

In 2023, the food sector accounted for the largest share of the total retail sales in South Korea. During the measured period, the share of food retail sales took up around 36 percent, followed by service and fashion sector with 15.2 and 13 percent respectively. 

Food shopping behavior

Food takes up the largest percentage of sales in retail and the sales are steadily increasing. The average monthly spending on food and soft drinks amounted to around 390 thousand won. Koreans mostly buy their groceries in large supermarkets, such as e-mart, Hanaro Mart, and Costco.

Rising popularity of online grocery shopping

Online shopping has become increasingly popular over the years. This trend can also be seen in the food sector, as a lot of people choose to shop for groceries online at least once every two weeks or once a month. One of the reasons for shopping for groceries online was the quick delivery. This is especially convenient for people who have little time due to work or who do not have supermarkets nearby.