JAPAN TODAY


 

TOKYO - Sales at convenience stores in Japan rose 0.8 percent in January from a year earlier for the third consecutive monthly increase, supported by solid food sales, an industry body said Wednesday.

The same-store sales of seven major convenience store operators totaled 792.42 billion yen ($7.14 billion), with robust sales of ready meals such as noodles and frozen foods, and a recovery in cigarette sales following a tobacco tax hike in October, the Japan Franchise Association said.

The number of customers fell 1.0 percent, declining for the third straight month, but average spending per customer rose 1.7 percent, buoyed by favorable sales of concert tickets, the association said.



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