Convenience food market in Japan - statistics & facts
Convenience foods refer to packaged food products prepared and optimized to require minimal preparations for consumption. In Japan, the segment is referred to as instant foods, which are commonly associated with processed foods in single-serving packaging. However, the market is more broadly defined to consider not only traditional Japanese meals, but the changes in eating behavior over time as well. Factory- and store-made ready-to-eat lunch boxes (o-bento) and rice balls (onigiri) are prime examples of convenience foods in Japan. Like traditional meals, they are commonly composed around a staple, mainly rice, and accompanied by side dishes. Other types of packaged products that do not consist of a full meal, and in some cases require cooking, are also consumed as convenience foods. With eating habits shifting to simple meals consisting of a single dish influenced by foreign food cultures and changing social structures, ready-to-eat foods are profiting from the perception of meals as a necessity rather than a social activity in Japan.
