Japan news

Japanese trading house Itochu has signalled its intent to take full ownership of the FamilyMart convenience store chain. A deal will cost US$5.4 bn It is estimated that the total cost of buyout will be around JPY580 bn (US$5.4 bn). Itochu already holds 50.1% of FamilyMart business and is predicted to take the company private should the bid succeed. Itochu says the joining of the two busi...

Japan's four largest retailers, Seven & i Holdings, Aeon, FamilyMart and Lawson, have posted their Q1 results for the three months from March 1 to May 31, 2020. Summary and our view The big four’s Q1 results show the sheer impact of COVID-19 has had on trading in Japan. The period saw a declaration of a state of emergency in Japan from April into May, temporary closure of various facilities...

Like many markets around the world, Japan has seen a surge in demand for online grocery following the outbreak of COVID-19. Online grocery adoption increasing COVID-19 has changed some long-established shopping habits, e.g. daily shopping trips. At the start of the pandemic, fear of product shortages and empty shelves in-store may have encouraged shoppers to explore alternative shopping cha...

We round up the latest COVID-19 related news from Japan as retailers respond to changes in consumer trends and government policies. 1 July - plastic bag charge now mandatory On 1 July, the government made plastic bag fees mandatory across the country. Matsumoto KiYoshi and some other businesses such as Aeon had already been charging fees for plastic bags  since April . 25 May state of ...

FamilyMart will introduce a remote-controlled robot that will place products on shelves in its stores in Japan, according to Nikkei Asian Review. Driving efficiencies in-store FamilyMart will partner with robotics development company Telexistence to test the initiative next month at some FamilyMart stores in Tokyo. The robot will be remotely controlled by an operator using virtual rea...

Between 1 st and 31 st August, customers that use self-checkout at Lawson Japan can earn reward points worth 2% of each purchase. Encouraging contact-free The initiative aims to encourage shoppers to self-checkout at Lawson stores. There has been growing customer demand for contact-free solutions following the outbreak of COVID-19. Aeon, for example, recently launched Regi Go checko...

Shoppers at 7-Eleven in Japan can now use the retailer’s multi-function machines to purchase MS&AD Insurance Group's life insurance. How does it work? Customers can begin the process by applying on their smartphones or PCs partly. The sale is completed once the insurance fee is paid at the checkouts in-store. The two businesses have also set up call centres where licensed insurance employee...

Japan’s three largest convenience stores, 7-Eleven, FamilyMart and Lawson, have stepped up their efforts to reduce the use of plastics. A mix of short, medium and long-term targets 7-Eleven is beginning to use paper packages for its cold bento boxed meal products. The retailer has already stopped using plastic films and covers for prepared food products, reducing plastic use by 10-25%. F...

Lawson has partnered Muji in Japan, according to Nikkei Asian Review. In the Philippines, Lawson has partnered Grab to offer on-demand grocery delivery. Sales and brand development The partnership will see Muji products sold at Lawson stores in Japan. This will be introduced to a small number of stores to test demand. Should it be rolled out to Lawson’s wider network, Muji items could be ma...

Aeon has been introducing its Everywhere Cash Register Regi Go service at some of its stores in Japan. The solution was launched in February, allowing shoppers to checkout more efficiently.   Available at 20 stores Currently, around 20 stores across AEON and AEON STYLE banners in Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa have made the service available. An increasing number of customers are seeking faster ...