Uniqlo's Japan sales take off as sun shines on the label

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
May 6, 2022

Fast Retailing’s Uniqlo had some rare good news about its Japanese sales on Friday as they increased for the first time in many months.

In fact, the company said that April same-store sales, including online, increased by 15.8% year on year, while total sales, also including online, rose by an even bigger 18.7%.

For once, instead of the weather working against the company, it chimed perfectly with the current offer. Uniqlo said that same-store sales rose considerably last month “as the sharp rise in temperatures in the first half of the month resulted in strong sales primarily of Summer ranges”.

The weather is always a crucial factor in sales for the brand and it has battled in recent months against temperatures that were too mild to excite interest in its winter offer or too chilly to drive its late summer sales higher.

But with the change for April, the chain saw both customer numbers and average purchases per customer rising above the average for the year-to-date.

The company will also be hoping that May’s outcome is a better one with it launching its first-ever collaboration with upscale Italian label Marni towards the end of the month.