Beer sales made up more than half of liquor sales at a major supermarket chain here, according to data Tuesday.

Figures from retailer E-mart showed that sales of beer made up 55 percent of all liquor sales in April, up from 51 percent in March. Last month was the first time that beer made up more than half of all liquor sales. 

“People are increasingly avoiding large drinking parties and strong liquor,” said a spokesperson for E-mart. “Meanwhile, the number of one- and two-person households are increasing, where people enjoy a beer by themselves or with family.”

The growth was fueled by the increasing sales of imported beers, which rose 42 percent at E-mart on-year in March.

The preference for imported beers contributed to a steady rise in the amount of beer brought into Korea from abroad. According to the Korea Customs Service, Korea imported over 69,300 metric tons of beer in the first quarter of this year, up 58 percent from roughly 43,800 tons in the same period last year.

As existing local brands lose their clout, Korean companies such as Hite Jinro are trying to protect their market share by launching new products.

Hite Jinro added the Australian beer Tooheys Extra Dry to its lineup of imported beers late last year and launched a new carbonated beer called Filite this year.

Lotte Liquor, which sells the premium beer Kloud, launched a new line called Fitz to compete in the standard beer market while also adding the Irish beer McGargles to its portfolio. 

By Won Ho-jung (hjwon@heraldcorp.com)