Japan Supermarket Sales Down 2.3 Pct in May

June 21, 2018

Tokyo- Sales at supermarkets in Japan in May fell 2.3 pct from a year before on a same-store basis, down for the third straight month, industry data showed Thursday.

The drop chiefly reflected weak sales of summer clothing, such as short-sleeved shirts, that stemmed from bad weather.

Overall sales at 10,123 stores run by 56 companies totaled 1,067 billion yen, the Japan Chain Stores Association said.

Clothing sales plunged 8.3 pct on a same-store basis. Food sales fell 1.2 pct, mainly reflecting vegetable price falls.

Sales of home-related items, including daily goods, dropped 3.5 pct due to weak sales of such products as sunscreen. Jiji Press