Sales in Japanese supermarkets totalled ¥1.19trn (US$10.1bn) in May 2003, a drop of 4.2% compared to the same period last year.


Figures based on a survey of 8,821 supermarkets run by 102 supermarket operators in Japan, showed supermarket food sales slid 1.3% to ¥673.8bn, the first year-on-year drop in ten months.


According to the Japan Chain Stores Association, sales of clothing dropped 4.4% to ¥162.6bn, while sales of household goods fell 7.7% to ¥254.4bn. Sales in the services sector, including ticket sales and tourism services, were ¥8.6bn, down 6.5%. Other sales, including sales in supermarket restaurants and coffee shops, fell 14.2% to ¥87.4bn, reported the Japanese News Digest.