Sales at supermarkets dropped 3.2 percent in 2003 from the previous year, and sales at department stores fell 2.8 percent, according to industry figures released Monday.

The Japan Chain Stores Association said sales at 8,945 outlets run by its 102 member supermarket operators totaled 14.43 trillion yen in 2003.

The Japan Department Stores Association reported that sales at 288 stores run by 96 member companies came to 8.11 trillion yen.

The declines at both supermarkets and department stores marked the seventh consecutive yearly fall on a same-store basis.

The supermarket association said sales were relatively strong at the outset of the year, thanks to robust demand for traditional New Year's lucky-dip bags.

But sales turned sluggish partly due to unstable weather, including an unusually cool summer and higher-than-usual temperatures in November and December, it said.

The department store association said sales declined 2.5 percent at stores in six major cities, including Tokyo and Osaka. Sales at stores in other areas fell 3.1 percent, it said.

Sales fell 3 percent in department stores' biggest business segment of clothing. Electronic goods up Domestic shipments of consumer electronic equipment in 2003 grew 4.2 percent from the previous year to 2.1 trillion yen.

The Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association said Monday that shipments, which rose for the second consecutive year, were driven by surging demand for flat-screen televisions and DVD players and recorders.

Flat-screen TVs are gradually replacing cathode-ray-tube TVs as the industry mainstay.

The electronics industry shipped 5.2 million DVD players and recorders, up 54 percent from 2002.

Of the flat-screen TV shipments, liquid crystal display TVs jumped 51.9 percent to 1.53 million units, and plasma display panel TVs rose 24.7 percent to 239,000 units. Shipments of CRT TV sets fell 15.1 percent to 7.16 million.