EEL SALES IN JAPAN UP

Eel sales reach their peak in Japan on Tuesday as people traditionally eat "kabayaki" grilled eel on the Day of the Ox, according to Jiji Press.

Supermarkets and department stores look to woo consumers who want to eat pre-cooked eel dishes at home amid the coronavirus epidemic.

Aeon Retail Co. is offering extra-large kabayaki grilled eels that can be shared among several family members.

The eels are about 1.5 times larger than last year's products, but about 10 pct cheaper, according to the supermarket arm of Aeon Co. <8267>.

Online sales of the eels, which Aeon promoted in order to ease crowding at stores and reduce food waste, are brisk, with some 2.5 times more orders than last year, according to the company.