Japan

Sales of tobacco in Japan remained fairy stable in retail current value terms in 2023. The Japanese government reclassified COVID-19 in May 2023, moving it from a level two to level five infectious disease. The new level is the same class as seasonal…

Heated tobacco in Japan continued to see double-digit growth in retail volume terms in 2023. Heated tobacco is regarded by consumers as a relatively lower harm option compared with cigarettes, and the weaker smell of these products compared with…

Following an exceptional decline in 2022, which saw volume sales fall by half from 2021, cigarillos saw another significant drop in sales in 2023. Compared with 2020, which was the peak of volume sales, sales in 2023 were close to a quarter.

Cigarettes in Japan continued to decline in retail volume terms in 2023, marking the 11th consecutive year of decline. Cigarettes is still the largest tobacco category in Japan, accounting for over half of value sales; however, the decreasing…

Homewares in Japan experienced current value growth in 2023, mainly due to increased home cooking due to remote and hybrid work patterns. In addition, with economic concerns, more individuals cooked at home to save money. The demand for functional…

After a peak in sales in 2020 during the pandemic, home improvement in Japan turned to decline as sales normalised, with a slight fall in current value sales continuing in 2023; however, sales remained above the pre-pandemic level. Due to the shift…

Home furnishings in Japan saw another year of minor current value decline in 2023. However, not all categories suffered a declining trend. For instance, there was a steady increase in the value growth rate of barbecues in Japan in 2023. This is…

Overall home and garden in Japan saw a slight decline in current value terms in 2023, due to an increase in inflation, which dissuaded some consumers from purchasing such products. However, some categories continued to grow, as consumer confidence in…

Gardening in Japan saw current value growth in 2023. In recent years, Japan has witnessed a significant shift in lifestyle dynamics, with an increasing emphasis on relaxation and home-centred activities amidst evolving work environments. This…

Sunglasses in Japan is set to see double-digit volume and current value growth in 2024. Sunglasses used to have a scary image in Japan, as they were historically commonly associated with the Japanese mafia (yakuza), or villains portrayed in films.…

Spectacles in Japan is set to see continued growth in volume and current value terms in 2024. Consumers care more about the health of their eyes, which is a general positive trend for spectacles. There are three main factors behind the growth of…

Eyewear in Japan is set to maintain solid current value growth in 2024, with increases in sales expected across contact lenses, spectacles, and sunglasses. Eyewear products are no longer a simple vision correction tool, but have expanded to eye…

Contact lenses in Japan is set to continue to see volume and current value growth in 2024. One factor driving growth has been children. More and more children are suffering from myopia. While spectacles is still the main treatment method for children…

Video games in Japan saw slow current value growth in 2023, with growth driven by video games hardware. Thanks to PlayStation 5 finally seeing a significant boost to its sales, this category saw a double-digit current value increase in 2023. Sony…

Traditional toys and games in Japan maintained dynamic current value growth in 2023. There were several trends that shaped this category; amongst them, purchases by adults continued to be a major growth driver and had a wide-ranging impact. These…

Toys and games in Japan saw low current value growth in 2023, with increases for both traditional toys and games and video games. In traditional toys and games, games and puzzles continued to be the largest category. It accounted for less than a…

This briefing assesses global B2B market trends in 2024 and beyond. It is geared towards consumer goods companies that are selling into the B2B market, and provides insights into how B2B markets are developing, which countries and channels to target,…

Within pet products in Japan, hygiene-related items such as cat litter and toilet sheets continue to drive sales growth, although the impact from inflation is also driving up price increases and the category’s value. In Japan, dogs tend to be kept…

Further price increases across pet care in Japan are evident, helping to drive up retail value sales in 2024. On the other hand, overall demand for some pet care products continues to decline, in line with an overall fall in the pet population.…

Owning fish as pets has been popular for many years in Japan, but as with trends seen in dogs, the popularity is shifting to smaller breeds. Large-sized fish such as carp, usually kept in ponds in the garden, are falling out of favour, with fewer…