Sluggish Consumer Spending and Weak Demand for Women’s Clothing

「物価上昇の影響による節約志向の継続などから、消費者の購買行動は慎重に推移しました。」

「While some recovery was seen in personal consumption, the outlook remained uncertain as the continuing rise in prices, driven by high energy and raw material prices and the weaker yen, also affected consumer sentiment.」

「Although employment and income conditions showed signs of improvement, personal consumption remained sluggish as higher prices, particularly for food, prompted households to become more inclined to economize, weighing on consumption.」

「Although employment and income conditions showed signs of improvement, personal consumption remained sluggish as higher prices, particularly for food, prompted households to become more inclined to economize, weighing on consumption. The women's specialty apparel retail industry continued to face a challenging operating environment because of higher procurement costs resulting from higher raw material prices and the ongoing trend of yen depreciation, as well as weather-related factors.」

「Although personal consumption was recovering, continued high resource prices and the yen's depreciation caused prices, particularly for food, to rise, prompting households to become more inclined to economize and weighing on consumption. The women's specialty apparel retail industry continued to face a challenging operating environment because of higher procurement costs resulting from rising raw material prices and the ongoing trend of yen depreciation.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry continued to face a challenging operating environment because of higher procurement costs resulting from rising raw material prices and foreign exchange movements.」

「Although the impact of activity restrictions related to the infection had eased, procurement costs rose because of higher raw material prices and foreign exchange movements, and the challenging operating environment continued.」

「Although the impact of the infection had eased, with no remaining activity restrictions related to it, procurement costs continued to rise because of higher raw material prices and the yen's depreciation, resulting in a continued challenging operating environment for the women's specialty apparel retail industry.」

「Although there were no longer any activity restrictions related to the infection and its impact was smaller than before, procurement costs continued to rise in the women's specialty apparel retail industry, which our group operates in, because of higher resource prices, the yen's depreciation and other foreign exchange factors, resulting in a continued challenging operating environment.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry was affected by activity restrictions related to the infection situation, while procurement costs rose because of higher raw material and energy prices, and sharp foreign exchange movements also contributed to a continued challenging operating environment.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry was also affected by activity restrictions, including requests to refrain from going out, in response to the infection situation, while procurement costs rose for raw materials and ocean freight, resulting in a continued challenging operating environment.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry likewise continued to face a challenging operating environment, as the prolonged impact of the infection was compounded by restrictions on activity, including requests to refrain from going out, and the establishment of telework, which brought changes in lifestyles.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs continues to face a difficult environment due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, with shortened operating hours and restrictions on activities such as requests to refrain from going out.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs was among the industries most heavily affected by COVID-19, along with the food service and travel industries. Although a temporary recovery was seen in June after the lifting of the state of emergency, the resurgence of infections and unsettled weather, followed by two further states of emergency, significantly affected store traffic. In addition, stores were forced to close or shorten their operating hours at commercial facilities, and conditions remained generally weak overall.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs was among the industries most heavily affected by COVID-19, along with the food service and travel industries. Although there was a temporary recovery in June after the lifting of the state of emergency, conditions remained generally weak due to the resurgence of infections and unsettled weather.」

「In the women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs, there was a temporary recovery in June after the lifting of the state of emergency, but conditions subsequently remained generally weak due to the resurgence of COVID-19 and unsettled weather.」

「In the women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs, there was a temporary recovery after the lifting of the state of emergency, but conditions subsequently remained generally weak due to the resurgence of COVID-19, the Reiwa 2 July torrential rains, prolonged rains and low temperatures, and the heatwave in August. Going forward, the industry as a whole is expected to continue facing a difficult operating environment, as concerns about a resurgence of infections are expected to dampen consumer activity.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs was also significantly affected by COVID-19, facing unprecedented difficulties due to requests to refrain from going out and the closure or shortened operating hours of commercial facilities.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs was significantly affected by a record warm winter, as well as a succession of natural disasters. The introduction of the consumption tax increase also affected consumer sentiment, and the difficult operating environment continued.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs continued to face a difficult operating environment due in part to unsettled weather and typhoons. Demand fluctuations associated with the consumption tax increase and the resulting rush demand and backlash also had an impact.」

「In the women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs, business remained weak through mid-July due to low temperatures and prolonged rains, but began to recover after the rainy season ended. At the same time, concerns have been raised that the operating environment will remain difficult as the consumption tax increase scheduled for October approaches.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs continued to face difficult conditions due to natural disasters such as the torrential rains in western Japan and the heatwave in July, as well as a trend toward warmer winters during the peak selling period for winter clothing.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs continued to face difficult conditions, as the torrential rains in western Japan, the heatwave in July and the Hokkaido Eastern Iburi earthquake affected customer traffic.」

「In the women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs, a succession of extreme weather events, including the torrential rains in western Japan in July, weighed on consumer sentiment.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs continued to face difficult conditions due to the expansion of e-commerce and the resale market, as well as the effects of unstable weather, including prolonged rains and unseasonably low temperatures.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs continued to face difficult conditions, as stagnant disposable income strengthened the tendency to restrain consumption, particularly among younger households.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs continued to face difficult conditions amid a sustained decline in propensity to consume, particularly among younger people, as well as record-long summer rains, low temperatures and two typhoons affecting weekends in October.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs continued to face difficult conditions, as consumer sentiment lacked strength due to stagnant disposable income and purchases of seasonal products, which temporarily picked up, failed to last.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs continued to face an extremely difficult operating environment, as a growing desire among consumers to protect their household finances against future increases in the burden of living expenses weighed on consumption.」

「The women's specialty apparel retail industry to which the Group belongs continued to face a difficult operating environment due to unsettled summer weather and lower disposable income associated with increased social security burdens.」

「Personal consumption also remained lacklustre, reflecting lower disposable income due to increased social security burdens.」

「Personal consumption recovered only slowly due to factors including higher prices, particularly for food, and increased social insurance contributions.」