Domestic retail sales posted a year-on-year fall of 4.9 percent in October, coming in at 10.86 trillion yen, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry said Wednesday.

This constituted a seventh straight month of decline and was the largest fall since a decline of 6.2 percent was logged in January 1999, according to the ministry.

Supermarket sales fell 10.7 percent after adjustment for the number of stores, the biggest drop since a drop of 11.1 percent in March 1998.