SEOUL, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's retail sales rose in single digits in July, driven by strong online demand for groceries and solid offline demand for luxury brands, government data showed Wednesday.
The combined revenue of 26 major retailers, comprising 15 offline and 11 online ones, expanded 6.4 percent in July from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources.
The summer heatwave and peak vacation season boosted online transactions, particularly in the services and grocery sectors. In addition, robust demand for luxury brands bolstered offline retail sales.
Revenue of online retailers mounted 8.5 percent, and sales by offline retailers swelled 3.2 percent.
Sales by discount outlets dropped 11.2 percent, but revenue for department stores jumped 17.9 percent.
Grocery purchases in cyberspace advanced 10.4 percent last month, but food demand in offline stores retreated 2.6 percent.
Online demand for services, such as travel, food delivery and e-coupon purchase, surged 17.5 percent, while offline sales of foreign luxury brands soared 28.9 percent.
Online sales of home appliances increased 11.4 percent, propelled by high demand for air conditioners and cooling equipment. ■