April 25, 2003 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Clothing prices fall again in 2002

For the fifth consecutive year, apparel prices declined in 2002, down 1.8 percent, after decreasing 3.2 percent in 2001. The declines occurred among all major apparel categories except for footwear.

[Chart data—TXT]

Volumes of apparel sales and consumer confidence have declined during the past 3 years. Demand for apparel was especially low at department stores and specialty clothing stores. Discount clothing stores continued to show better sales results than full-price clothing stores.

These data are produced by the BLS Consumer Price Index program. For additional information on consumer price changes in 2002, see "Consumer prices up slightly more in 2002, led by energy and hospital services," by Todd Wilson, Monthly Labor Review, March 2003. Annual percent changes are December-to-December changes.

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