South Korea

Appliances and electronics specialists maintained its long-standing decline in outlet numbers in South Korea in 2023, and although it returned to growth in current value terms, this only made a small dent in the losses experienced since 2019. The…

While in 2022 sales of traditional watches posted strong double-digit current value growth, driven by consumers’ high demand for luxury goods, 2023 is set to witness a strong slowdown in growth, as the unstable global political and economic…

In early 2023, as the South Korean government fully lifted COVID-19-related restrictions and entered the endemic era, international travel fully reopened. As consumer spending has largely shifted to international travel, the growth of bags,…

Despite some stabilising of retail volume growth in 2023, overall demand for vitamins in South Korea remains higher than pre-pandemic levels. Single vitamins, particularly vitamin C, have been popular since the emergence of COVID-19 as local…

Bath and shower maintained solid current value growth in South Korea in 2023, although the rate of increase slowed compared with the peak seen over 2020-2022. Clean beauty, which emphasises gentle and natural ingredients, is highly favoured by…

Health and beauty specialists saw fairly static outlet numbers in South Korea in 2023, after several years of decline, but saw a second year of growth in current value terms. The largest channel in value terms, pharmacies, maintained growth in South…

Retail volume sales of dishwashers in South Korea are marginally declining in 2023 for a second consecutive year. This can be attributed to subdued consumer sentiment due to economic stability, which is resulting in many South Koreans refraining from…

In 2023, sportswear continues to post healthy growth, boosted by the full lifting of the mask mandate and consumers’ increasing participation in sports and outdoor activities. Some players stated that their manufacturing facilities struggled to keep…

Menswear continues to post healthy current value sales growth, as South Korea fully entered an endemic era from May 2023. Followed by the lifting of social distancing measures in 2022, the South Korea government lifted the mask mandate in April 2023…

Demand for jeans continues to grow in 2023, driven by the ongoing popularity of street casual. The beginning of the endemic era in South Korea and consumers’ increasing outdoor activities are also helping to boost demand for durable jeans. The…