TOKYO (MNI) – Sales at supermarkets in Japan open for at least a
year fell 2.4% in February from a year earlier to Y933.3 billion as
consumers remained frugal amid falling wages and high unemployment, an
industry group said on Tuesday.
But the year-on-year drop shrank from the previous month thanks to
good sales of flat-screen TVs, bicycles and some spring clothing, the
Japan Chain Stores Association said.
It was the 15th consecutive year-on-year drop in supermarket sales
following -4.9% in January. The last y/y rise in sales was +0.6% marked
in November 2008.
The figures are based on the combined sales at 68 supermarket
chains which together operate 8,201 outlets. The numbers have been
adjusted to facilitate comparison on a same-store basis.
Including sales at stores newly opened during the past year,
revenue fell 2.0% from a year earlier in February, down for the 27th
consecutive month after falling 4.3% the previous month. The last time
sales under this category rose was in November 2007 (+0.5% y/y).
tokyo@marketnews.com
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