Sales at supermarkets and department stores fell for a fourth straight year in 2000, underlining depressed consumer spending, industry associations reported Wednesday.

The Japan Chain Stores Association said supermarket sales fell 5.1 percent from 1999 to 16.26 trillion yen.

Buying remained stagnant as customers are still worried about the future, the industry group said, adding that the year-to-year percentage change was adjusted for a change in the number of stores.

Food sales, accounting for about 50 percent of overall supermarket sales, dropped 3.6 percent to 8.42 trillion yen, while clothing sales fell 9.8 percent to 2.81 trillion yen.

Sales of daily commodities such as medical and cosmetic goods, furniture and electrical appliances were down 6.5 percent to 3.38 trillion yen.

But revenues from services such as travel businesses and ticket sales rose 17.6 percent to 149.12 billion yen, although it accounted for a mere 0.9 percent of overall sales.

The Japan Department Stores Association said sales at department stores dropped in 2000 for the fourth straight year to 8.82 trillion yen, down 1.8 percent from 1999.

Returns dwindled in all categories except accessories, which rose 1.8 percent to 946.29 billion yen, and home electrical appliances, which improved 1.8 percent to 57.48 billion yen.

Sales of clothing came to 3.55 trillion yen, down 2.9 percent, while food proceeds lost 1 percent to 2.05 trillion yen.

Meanwhile, supermarket sales for December alone fell 6.5 percent from a year earlier to 1.7 trillion yen, marking the 25th consecutive month of decline, the association said.

December department store sales retreated 1.4 percent from a year earlier to 1.08 trillion yen, marking a third straight year-on-year decline. Sales of yearend gifts were stagnant and purchases of winter clothes, particularly for men, were also weak.

The supermarket data covers 7,229 outlets run by the association's 111 member store operators.

For department stores, the data covers 307 outlets run by 130 operators. The percentage change was adjusted for variations in the number of outlets.