Sales at supermarkets around the nation dropped 2.6 percent in April from a year earlier on a same-store basis, down for the 10th consecutive month, the Japan Chain Stores Association said Monday.
The decline at the stores, which handle a variety of merchandise besides food, was mainly attributed to weak demand for spring and summer clothing amid low temperatures early in the month.
Supermarket sales in April totaled 1.19 trillion yen, up 1.2 percent from March, the association said in a preliminary report covering 102 operators that run a combined 8,798 outlets.
Sales of food, which accounted for 55.5 percent of overall sales, rose 0.8 percent to 660.62 billion yen, with strong demand for low-malt "happoshu" ahead of a May 1 tax hike.
Clothing sales, which made up 13.8 percent of the total, declined 5.2 percent to 164.61 billion yen.
Sales of household products dropped 6.7 percent to 266.44 billion yen. Large furniture and electric appliance sales remained sluggish, the association said, adding that the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome dragged down sales of travel-related goods.