Japan

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…

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…

Snacks in Japan witnessed growth in retail current value terms in 2023, yet volume sales in many categories saw a decline due to price increases. The rate of price hikes was notably around 10%, but there were instances where products underwent…

In 2023, soft drinks is set to record opposite performances in the on-trade channel and the off-trade channel. On 8 May 2023, the Japanese government downgraded the legal status of COVID-19 to Class 5, the level of common infectious diseases. This…

Many key beverage companies in Japan are promoting label-free packaging for their core brands, especially for e-commerce sales, as a strategy to reduce plastic use and enhance sustainability. This approach involves eliminating plastic film and paper…

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…

Total volume sales of spirits in Japan declined slightly in 2023, as a result of off-trade decline outweighing on-trade growth. However, not all categories saw falling sales. During the three years of the pandemic, there was a surge in the home…

In 2023, off-trade volume and current value sales of sports drinks are set to record growth compared with 2022, due to an extremely hot summer. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the national average temperature from June to August was the…

Sports nutrition was one of the most dynamic areas of consumer health in Japan over the review period, including during and after the pandemic. The category has been rapidly expanding thanks to an increasingly health conscious population, but also…

Sportswear experienced a double-digit current value decline in 2020 due to the pandemic. Consumers could not go out to enjoy sports or go to gatherings for yoga, for instance, due to home seclusion. However, in 2021 consumers were able to return to…

Staple foods in Japan is set to grow in current value terms in 2023, largely driven by unit price increases due to inflation and increases in production costs. Although many manufacturers had already implemented price increases in 2022, the costs of…

Total demand for starchy roots in Japan continues to improve in 2023, mainly driven by foodservice and retail channels. Like many categories of fresh food, foodservice volume sales of starchy roots experienced significant declines at the height of…