Japan

In 2023, department stores benefited from a rebound in the number of tourists visiting Japan and the depreciation of the yen. Although it lagged somewhat behind other countries, Japan finally lifted COVID-19 regulations in 2023. As for the recovery…

On 8 May 2023, the Japanese government announced that it would reclassify COVID-19 as a class 5 infectious disease, which is the same classification as seasonal flu. As a result, decisions regarding infection control are now left to individuals and…

Home products specialists saw growth in current value terms in 2023. Increases were seen across all channels, but as in the previous year, growth was driven mainly by homewares and home furnishing stores. The leading player in this channel, Nitori,…

Hypermarkets usually sell a wider range of products compared with other types of grocery retailers, such as supermarkets and convenience stores, but may not be as centrally positioned or as favoured for regular visits. Nevertheless, hypermarkets…

After e-commerce showed double-digit current value growth during COVID-19 in 2020, growth slowed significantly in 2021, and remained at this lower level in 2022 and 2023, as with the reopening of physical stores post-pandemic, fewer people made the…

Retail maintained solid current value growth in Japan in 2023, with increases across both offline and e-commerce. In 2023, offline retail regained stronger momentum due to the return of mobility post-COVID-19. On 8 May 2023, the Japanese government…

Traditionally, Japanese consumers have enjoyed shopping in areas called Shotengai, where many small shops, including small local grocers, are lined up along the streets. Customers visit different specialist shops to buy their vegetables, fish, and…

In 2023, price rises were seen across various industries in Japan, impacting the cost of living. During COVID-19, consumers’ eating habits shifted more towards cooking and eating at home. Despite the country gradually returning to the pre-COVID-19…

Vending machines have a significant presence in Japan, and have been part of the local culture for decades. Vending is a contactless, unmanned, compact, and convenient way of shopping. Although sales declined during the pandemic, a rebound was seen…

Air care had been seeing steady growth in value sales in the pre-pandemic years, and in 2020, when the pandemic hit Japan, there was further significant growth. As interest in indoor air quality improved along with much more time spent at home and…

In 2020 bleach saw an unexpected increase in both volume and current value sales, as COVID-19 hit the country. Some consumers were very concerned about the pandemic, and became especially hygiene-conscious, therefore using bleach to clean their…

Dishwashing saw strong growth in current value terms in 2023. However, in volume terms sales were almost flat between 2022 and 2023. What pushed up value sales was increases in unit prices. Japan had seen nearly three decades of virtual economic…

2020 and 2021 were closed years for Japan, with home seclusion as the basis of everyday life due to the COVID-19 pandemic. From 2022 the situation began to change, as the level of risk reduced, and people went out to socialise more, workers went back…

In 2023, current value sales of home insecticides in Japan registered positive growth from the previous year; however, volume sales declined. The decline in volume sales can be attributed to the fading of COVID-19. The pandemic had much less of an…

Laundry care saw growth in retail current value terms in 2023. However, retail volume sales fell by an even larger amount than the drop seen in 2022. What pushed up value sales was price increases. Japan saw three decades with little growth in the…

Floor polish is not a standard product for many younger households. It may have been used by older generations, but the custom of polishing the floor with wax products has not been passed down to the younger generations. First, it is very…

Most categories within surface care saw declines in both retail volume and current value terms in 2023. The explanation for the drop in volume terms is simple – people began to spend more time outside the home. In May 2023, the Japanese government…

A typical performance amongst home care categories in Japan in 2023 was that volume sales fell, whilst average unit prices increased, driving up value sales as a result. However, toilet care was a little different. The category saw significant…

The report observes the changing dynamics of loyalty in mobility, focusing specifically on the automotive, shared mobility and car rental industries. It identifies and examines the key themes shaping modern loyalty and how brands should adjust their…

The report observes the changing dynamics of loyalty in mobility, focusing specifically on the automotive, shared mobility and car rental industries. It identifies and examines the key themes shaping modern loyalty and how brands should adjust their…