President Chain Store Corp, which operates 7-Eleven convenience stores in Taiwan, said its sales in September fell 3.6 percent from the previous month amid blackouts and destruction caused by the recent earthquake.
A surge in demand for batteries, flashlights and instant noodles after the earthquake was offset by store closures or suspensions and problems with distribution.
The company said 17 of its 2,221 stores were permanently closed, including eight that were destroyed by the Sept. 21 earthquake. President Chain's sales in September rose 24 percent compared with the same period a year earlier, due to rapid store expansion and the introduction of new services. That growth is consistent with a 19.7 percent increase in the company's sales in the first nine months of 1999.
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