Sales at discount outlets, department stores up in April

SEOUL, May 19 (Yonhap) -- Sales at the nation's major discount outlets and department stores made solid gains in April due mainly to greater demand for groceries and sporting goods, a government report showed Thursday. Total sales at the three leading discount outlets moved up 4.6 percent on-year last month, an increase from the 1.9 percent gain reported for March, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy said. The ministry said groceries, which accounted for 54.6 percent of all sales, expanded 5.7 percent on-year, with gains for sports-related products jumping 9.4 percent. "Favorable weather contributed to more demand for goods that can be used for various outdoor activities," it said. Grocery sales were helped by consumers seeking more processed and instant foods. Sales of durable goods such as consumer electronics edged up 0.7 percent, with clothing and miscellaneous product sales going up 5.0 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively. The report also showed sales at department stores shooting up 15.1 percent on-year, from a gain of 13.1 percent tallied for March. Sales of groceries rose 12.3 percent, with luxury goods soaring 43.2 percent, with numbers for household goods and miscellaneous items all rising vis-a-vis the year before. The monthly report is based on sales figures from three department stores -- Lotte, Shinsegae and Hyundai -- and three discount stores -- Lotte Mart, E-Mart and Homeplus -- and is used as a key indicator of South Korea's consumer sentiment.