Supermarket sales fell 0.1 percent in August from a year earlier on a same-store basis, declining for the fifth consecutive month following the April consumption tax hike, an industry body said Monday.

Sales at 9,242 stores operated by 60 supermarket chains totaled ¥1.09 trillion, according to the Japan Chain Stores Association.

Food sales, accounting for 65.5 percent of the total, increased 1 percent, but clothing sales declined 3.6 percent due to heavy rains and typhoons.

Sales of electronics, interior, medicine, cosmetic and other miscellaneous products shrank 1.2 percent.

The consumption tax rate went up from 5 percent to 8 percent on April 1.