The Japan Chain Stores Association (55 firms, 10,548 stores) reported that same-store sales in February 2020 increased by 4.1% over the same month of last year to 937,621 million yen, thus increasing for the first time in five months.
Sales increasing factors included the facts that February 2020 had 29 days as 2020 is a leap year, and that the coronavirus increased sales of food in the second half of the month as more people stayed at home.
Sales of apparel continued to show a decrease (down 3.9% in February to 51,198 million yen). Sales of women’s and men’s wear suffered setbacks, as shoppers were reluctant to buy outerwear.
Sales of women’s wear decreased by 21.3% to 14,757 million yen, along with those of men’s wear by 2.3% to 7,336 million yen, and other garments and accessories by 20.7% to 1,596 million yen.
