Japan May Supermarket Sales -1.4% Y/Y, Posting 2nd Drop

TOKYO (MNI) – Sales at supermarkets in Japan open for at least a
year fell 1.4% in April from a year earlier to Y1.057 trillion, posting
the second consecutive monthly year-on-year fall following -1.3% in
April, on unstable weather conditions, an industry group said Wednesday.

The May sales fell y/y as the rainy season started earlier this
year than usual, and a typhoon hit Japan at the end of the month, the
Japan Chain Stores Association said.

The figures are based on the combined sales at 60 supermarket
chains which together operate 8,006 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 rose 3.6%, showing rises for three months in a row, following
+3.8% in April and +3.5% in March.

tokyo@marketnews.com
** Market News International Tokyo Newsroom: 81-3-5403-4835 **

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