Sales at Japanese supermarket chains fell 4.4% in April to ¥1.167trn (US$10.4bn) compared to the year-ago period, according to the Japan Chain Stores Association.

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The result, which was adjusted for changes in the number of stores, marked the second consecutive month of declining sales. Supermarket sales were down 4.2% in March, despite rising 1.2% in February. Food sales slid 2.9% in April to ¥664.07bn, reported Dow Jones International News.


The association has 98 member companies, which operate 8,207 stores in total in Japan.

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