Growth in household goods and other products driven by infection-control and stay-at-home demand

「By product division, the household goods and home appliances divisions benefited from the extremely hot summer and mild winter, with laundry detergents and insecticides and repellents performing well, while winter products were weak. The gardening and agriculture division remained steady, partly because the Company continued efforts to strengthen product appeal and freshness management. Gardening machinery, including brush cutters, as well as vegetable seedlings and cut flowers, continued to perform particularly well.」

「By division, daily necessities such as laundry detergents and insecticides and repellents increased, partly because temperatures remained relatively high throughout the cumulative period.」

「The household goods and home appliances divisions exceeded the same period of the previous year, as laundry detergents and supplies, insecticides and repellents, and energy-saving products benefited by higher electricity charges performed well amid the extremely hot weather. In contrast, the gardening, agriculture, materials and tools divisions fell below the same period of the previous year, although gardening machinery and other products performed well, due in part to changes in timber market conditions.」

「The household goods and daily necessities divisions fell below the same period of the previous year, owing to lower demand for products used to prevent COVID-19 and the impact of consumers' cautious purchasing behaviour resulting from price increases caused by rising prices.」

「The gardening, agriculture and horticultural plant-related divisions performed particularly well, supported by the growing penetration of home gardening, the results of staff allocation and training to strengthen product appeal and freshness management, and favourable weather throughout the seasons, including fine weather during the spring holiday period. Home appliances also performed well. In contrast, the household goods and daily necessities divisions lacked momentum, affected by the decline in demand for infection-control products and customers' cautious purchasing behaviour due to rising prices.」

「Meanwhile, the Household Goods and Daily Necessities divisions lacked momentum, apparently affected not only by the decline following infection-control demand but also by higher selling prices resulting from surging raw material prices, which affected customers' purchasing behavior.」

「Gardening plants performed well, supported by fine weather during the extended holiday period, the persistence of stay-at-home demand from the past 1–2 years, and the effects of stronger product appeal and freshness management. Meanwhile, the Household Goods and Daily Consumables divisions lacked momentum, affected by the decline following infection-control demand and by higher selling prices resulting from surging raw material prices, which affected customers' purchasing behavior.」

「Operating revenue declined from the previous fiscal year due to a decline following the previous year's sharp increase in demand for infection-control hygiene products and special stay-at-home demand. Meanwhile, as the end of the COVID-19 pandemic remained uncertain, demand to make time spent at home more comfortable continued,」

「During the cumulative third quarter, revenue and operating revenue declined year on year, significantly affected by sales of infection-control hygiene products falling below the previous year due to a decline following the sharp increase in demand in the previous year, as well as unseasonable weather during the midsummer period.」

「During the cumulative first quarter, although consumers' awareness of infection-control measures had risen further, supplies of infection-control hygiene products, for which the market had expanded, became more stable. As a result, the company's sales of such products fell significantly below the previous year, causing revenue and operating revenue to decline year on year.」

「Demand increased for hygiene products, particularly sanitizers, alcohol disinfectants, masks and thermometers used for infection prevention. Special stay-at-home demand emerged as consumers spent more time at home, increasing demand for gardening products such as plants and for DIY and home-repair products.」

「During the nine months ended 31 December, sales and operating revenue increased substantially year on year. Factors included continuing demand for hygiene products, mainly disinfecting products, alcohol-based disinfectants, masks and thermometers for infection prevention while the end of the novel coronavirus pandemic remained unforeseeable; increased demand for gardening products, including garden plants, and DIY and repair-related products as consumers spent more time at home, generating exceptional stay-at-home demand; and the success of measures previously implemented to strengthen the gardening, agriculture, materials and tools businesses. In addition, demand for preparations against typhoons increased in September, while in October and November there was no longer an impact from the decline in consumption following the consumption tax increase that had occurred in the previous year.」

「Sales increased substantially year on year, owing to higher customer visits resulting from increased demand for hygiene products, mainly alcohol gel and masks for infection prevention, as well as gardening products and DIY and repair-related products benefiting from stay-at-home demand amid calls to refrain from going out, together with a recovery in demand for summer products as temperatures rose during midsummer.」

「Sales increased substantially year on year, driven mainly by everyday goods, including hygiene products for infection control, as well as gardening products, home repair products and other items benefiting from stay-at-home demand amid calls to refrain from going out.」