Total sales for March 2009 were 131,757 million yen, up 7.0% year on year. Existing store sales increased 4.8% and average daily sales per store were 505,000 yen. The average amount spent per customer was 593 yen, same as last year, and the average number of customers per store per day was 840, up 4.8%.

Concert ticket sales, most notably for Japanese pop music concerts, were strong.

In March, large daily temperature changes and more cold days than the previous year depressed growth in customer numbers, especially during weekends. Weather conditions also negatively affected sales of soft drinks and ice cream at existing stores.

Rice dish category sales were adversely impacted by a drop in per-customer spending as consumers spent more cautiously with the economy deteriorating. Conversely, cup noodle sales were strong.

Sales in the fast foods category rose year on year, thanks in part to the strong success of 128-yen L Chiki fried chicken, which went on sale on March 24. Details of this new product can be found in a March 11 press release on this website (Japanese only).

Dessert sales were strong. In addition to new product launches, this reflected the success of the Spring Rilakkuma Fair that began on March 3; this campaign is scheduled to run until May 6.

As of February 28, 2009, there were 9,518 stores in the LAWSON Group, including 93 NATURAL LAWSON stores, 491 LAWSON STORE100 stores (of which 418 are run by Ninety-nine Plus Inc.) and 438 SHOP99 stores.

LAWSON plans to announce its full-year results for the fiscal year ended February 28, 2009 on Monday, April 13, 2009. The flash report and supplementary information will be available on this website soon thereafter.