Main contents start here
III. Type of Purchase Place
(1) Purchase place by age group and sex
A. Overview
Looking at men and women?s living expenditures (other than eating out, house rents and other costs for services, and electricity, gas, water and other public utility bills) by places of purchasing, retail stores had the highest share in the under 30 years old age range for men and women alike ? 38.6% for men and 26.1% for women ? followed in order among men at 15% for convenience stores and 14.4% for supermarkets. For women, on the other hand, the proportion was 21.0% for other outlets and 19.6% for department stores. In the 30-to-59 age range, retail stores had the highest share among both men and women ? 38.9% for men and 29.6% among women ? followed in order among men at 20.3% for supermarkets and 12.0% for both convenience stores and discount stores/mass sales speciality stores. For women, on the other hand, the order was 20.8% for supermarkets and 18.9% for department stores. In the 60 years or older segment, retail stores had the highest share among both men and women ? 38.3% for men and 37.2% among women ? followed in order among men at 35.3% for supermarkets and 7.5% for discount stores/mass sales speciality stores. For women, on the other hand, the order was 28.2% for supermarkets and 13.1% for department stores. Comparing men and women, the shares for retail stores and convenience stores and discount stores/mass sales speciality stores were higher among men than women in all age groups, while the shares for department stores and mail-order selling (others) were higher among women than men. (Table III-1)
Table III-1 All Households? Itemized Expenses by Purchase Place by Age and Sex
B. Age comparisons
Comparing places of purchasing living expenditures among the under 30 years old and 60 years or older age groups, convenience, department, and discount stores/mass sales speciality stores and mail-order selling (internet) had higher shares among men and women alike in the under 30 years old group, with a particularly wide share disparity for convenience stores among men. In contrast, supermarkets, cooperative stores and mail-order selling (others) had higher shares among both men and women in the 60 years or older range, with a larger share difference for supermarkets among both men and women. (Table III-1)
C. Comparisons by items
Comparing places of purchasing living expenditures by item, supermarkets accounted for over 30% of food purchases for men and women in all age groups, while convenience stores had the highest share (34.2%) among men under 30 years old. Discount stores/mass sales speciality stores had the highest share for furniture & household utensils among both men and women under 30 years old and men in the 30 to 59 group and retail stores among women in the 30-to-59 group and men and women in the 60 years or older range. Retail stores had the highest share for clothes & footwear among men, while department stores generally had higher shares among women. (Table III-1)
D. Mail-order selling (Internet)
Regarding purchases via mail-order selling (Internet), newly added to the survey from 2004, food accounted for 0.5%, furniture & household utensils 4.8%, clothes & footwear 2.6%, reading and recreation 11.5%, and miscellaneous 0.7% for living expenditure shares by item among men. Breaking down reading & recreation items, which had the highest share among men, the most was spent on personal computers, sporting goods and TV game machines. On the other hand, the figures were 0.2% for food, 5.2% for furniture & household utensils, 0.5% for clothes & footwear, 1.5% for reading & recreation and 1.2% for miscellaneous among women. Looking at the breakdown for furniture & household utensils, which had the highest share among women, the most was spent on general furniture and dining suites. Additionally seen by age group, reading & recreation accounted for respective 11.8% and 14.8% shares among men under 30 years old and from 30 to 59, the highest percentage after retail stores and discount stores for both age groups. Furniture & household utensils accounted for a 16.7% share among women aged 30 to 59, the highest amount after retail stores and discount stores/mass sales speciality stores. (Table III-1)
(2) Changes in places of purchasing
With regard to places purchasing, the share for discount stores/mass sales speciality stores rose among all age groups compared to 1999. In particular, among the under 30 years old group, it rose from 6.3% in 1999 to 11.9% in 2004, topping convenience stores? 11.6%. Discount stores/mass sales speciality stores? share also rose from 5.2% in 1999 to 11.7% in 2004 among those 30 to 59, exceeding department stores? 10.5%. On the other hand, the share for retail stores fell among all age ranges. By item, supermarkets? share of food rose among all age groups, especially among those under 30 years old, increasing from 32.2% in 1999 to 37.3% in 2004 and exceeding convenience stores? 30.5%. On the other hand, the share for retail stores fell among all age ranges. Discount store/mass sales speciality stores shares of furniture & household utensils, clothes & footwear, and reading & recreation rose among all age groups. (Table III-2)
Table III-2 All Households? Itemized Expenses by Purchase Place Shares by Age
