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In 2023, the sales value of the food and beverages retail industry in Japan amounted to around **** trillion Japanese yen. Edibles represented a major segment within the domestic retail sector, covering a broad range of fresh produce, prepared meals, and shelf-stable food.

Where do Japanese buy food?

Non-store channels have been emerging slowly within consumer market segments in Japan. However, in-store retailers were by far the trusted providers for food and beverages. In particular, fresh produce with low durability that was needed at short notice were preferably purchased in physical stores. To take advantage of the trust in in-store retailing, convenience stores in Japan introduced a pilot project for a delivery service in small neighborhoods. This allowed consumers to order food and daily necessities at corner stores nearby, with deliveries arriving within the same day - although only at selected stores within a certain distance.

What food do Japanese buy?

The average household in Japan spent more than * yen on edibles per month, which was one of the main expense items weighing on the household budget. Home-cooking used to be the norm in Japanese dietary habits, with homemade packed lunches (o-bento) being prepared early in the morning for mealtimes throughout the day. But in the past decades, prepared food and eating out have been topping the list of food expense items, with store retailers catering to the demand with snack corners, packed lunches, and deep-fried side dishes prepared daily.