Sogo & Seibu announced its July sales report. According to the report, the combined total for all 24 Sogo & Seibu stores was down 3.9% year-on-year. At its flagship Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store alone, sales were down 2.0% year-on-year. While the store's sales had increased year-on-year for six consecutive months, July saw its first negative result in a long time.

The main reason for the lack of sales growth was the continued good weather at the start of the year, followed by inclement weather, including localized heavy rain and low temperatures, from the middle of the month onward. This impacted the movement of summer merchandise. Another negative factor was the one fewer Sunday and holiday compared to last year. Sogo & Seibu also brought forward its summer clearance sale, starting on June 28th, which likely contributed to the backlash. While sales were down year-on-year, customer demand for high-quality items remains strong. Sales of art and jewelry continue to grow strongly.

In addition, "original products," which Sogo & Seibu is particularly focusing on, recorded a significant increase of 121% in July. Their share of total company sales has expanded from 6% last year to 14%, supporting sales.