Department-store sales in Japan fell 1.4 per cent last month on a same-store basis because of weak clothing and food sales, reports the Japan Department Stores Association.

Sales at 229 stores run by 80 companies totalled ¥547 billion (US$5 billion), says the association. Sales decreased as most of the stores had moved their summer sale period to June, pushing down sales of clothes that would have sold well in July during a discount period.

Accounting for 29.8 per cent of overall sales, the clothing category declined 5 per cent while there was a 2 per cent drop for food items, furniture and other home-use items.

Among 10 major cities, Nagoya recorded the highest fall, 4.8 per cent, and Hiroshima a 3.4 per cent drop from July last year.