According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the total sales of major retailers in May 2026 rose by 9.0% compared to the same month last year. Offline sales increased by 9.3%, while online sales grew by 8.8%.
By sector, convenience stores and department stores drove the growth, while large supermarkets and super supermarkets (SSM) continued to struggle. Convenience store sales rose by 5.9%, and department store sales surged by 24.5%, marking 11 consecutive months of growth since July of last year.
The increase in convenience store sales is largely attributed to the early heat. With temperatures rising faster than usual in May, demand for cold beverages, ice cream, and ready-to-eat meals expanded earlier than in previous years. In fact, sales of processed foods, including beverages, increased by 9.0% year-on-year in May, while ready-to-eat meals saw an 8.3% rise. The number of purchases and average purchase price also grew by 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively.
Department stores experienced significant growth across all sectors, driven by an influx of foreign tourists and a recovery in consumer sentiment. Sales of international brands increased by 37.3%, with women's casual wear and home goods also seeing gains of 25.7% and 17.3%, respectively.
In contrast, large supermarket sales fell by 5.1%. This marks three consecutive months of decline, following decreases of 15.2% in March and 6.6% in April. While sales of home appliances saw a slight increase during the family month, the ongoing struggles in the food sector have significantly impacted overall performance. SSMs also reported an 8.0% decline compared to last year, continuing a six-month streak of negative growth.
The simultaneous decline of large supermarkets and SSMs reflects a structural shift in shopping habits, with demand dispersing towards online, proximity channels, and specialty stores. The persistent weakness in food sales, which is a core revenue source for these retailers, could lead to broader concerns about the competitiveness of offline grocery shopping channels.
Online retail, focusing on electronics, children’s products, food, and services, grew by 8.8%. Electronics recorded the highest growth rate at 11%, followed by food at 10.1% and services at 10.0%.
The growth trend in food and cosmetics continues, with cosmetics sales rising by 15.4%, marking the highest growth rate. Food sales increased by 9.7%, and home and living products grew by 8.1%, indicating stable growth.
The trend towards online consumption is becoming more entrenched, with online sales accounting for 56.8% of total retail sales, significantly surpassing offline sales at 41.4%. The share of large supermarkets has dropped to 8.1%, while convenience stores accounted for 16.7%.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.