TOKYO (MNI) – Sales at supermarkets in Japan open for at least a
year fell 6.6% in March from a year earlier to Y976.1 billion as
consumers remained frugal amid flat wages and a slow recovery in job
creation, an industry group said on Thursday.
Many rainy days and sharp fluctuations in temperatures in the month
also hit sales of clothing and other goods, Japan Chain Stores
Association said.
It was the 16th consecutive year-on-year drop in supermarket sales
following -2.4% in February. The last y/y rise in sales was +0.6% marked
in November 2008.
The figures are based on the combined sales at 64 supermarket
chains which together operate 7,992 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 6.7% from a year earlier in March, down for the 28th
consecutive month after falling 2.0% the previous month. The last time
sales under this category rose was in November 2007 (+0.5% y/y).
For the whole of fiscal 2009 that ended March 31, supermarket sales
totaled Y12.70 trillion, down 4.4% from a year earlier on a same-store
basis. It was the 13th straight year of decline. The last time sales
rose was in fiscal 1996, when they stood at Y16.98 trillion, up 0.7%
from fiscal 1995.
The global recession cut disposable income at many households while
the uncertainty over an economic recovery promoted consumers to stay
cautious about spending throughout the year, the association said.
tokyo@marketnews.com
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