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…

Store cards are often referred to as “Gaisho cards” in Japan. Gaisho is a department most often found in department stores, positioned somewhat like direct selling. Gaisho are elite staff members with high levels of skill and experience, and these…

While the global luxury goods market contracted notably, Asia showed signs of recovery as early as Q2 2020, minimising the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This report analyses the background to the quick recovery of personal luxury…

Street stalls/kiosks continued to see an increase in current value sales in 2023, thanks to the rising popularity of food trucks. Even during the pandemic, food trucks were less negatively impacted thanks to their mobility, which allowed them to…

The briefing explores structural drivers of inflation and their impact on the global economy and business environment. Factors such as demographics changes, globalisation reset, decarbonisation, AI revolution and higher debt levels would add to the…

Total demand for sugar and sweeteners in Japan remains stable in 2023 compared to the previous year, with foodservice volume sales partially offsetting the decline in retail volume sales. Foodservice volume sales had suffered throughout 2020 and…

Sugar confectionery in Japan is set to see low growth in retail volume terms and more dynamic growth in current value terms in 2024. There is an abundance of Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) in sugar confectionery, with new products and concepts…

Sun care saw dynamic current value growth in Japan in 2023. At the top level, it was the category with the best growth rate in beauty and personal care. There were several factors which supported growth. One was the increased opportunities for going…

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.…

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…

Increased economic uncertainty, digitisation of business activities, the need to improve operational efficiency, and stricter regulations encourage companies to review their supply networks and fortify them against the potential risks in the future.…

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…

The majority of Japanese consumers reduce food waste and plastics, making Zero Waste claims and Sustainable Packaging well-received. Climate concerns are rising in the country, making locally sourced goods appealing while meat avoidance is…

Sweet biscuits, snack bars and fruit snacks in Japan is set to see both retail volume and current value growth in 2024. In the midst of rising prices for various products, sweet biscuits is expected to emerge as a standout category in 2024, showing…

Sweet spreads is set to see slight growth in retail current value terms in Japan in 2023. However, this growth is mainly due to price increases for sweet spreads, and retail volume sales are expected to see another year of decline, primarily due to…

Total sweet spreads packaging saw growth in Japan in 2023. Although it saw a minor decline in packaging volumes in 2023, glass jars remained by far the most popular pack type within sweet spreads, accounting for nearly half of total packaging…

Retail volume sales of tea are set to record a third consecutive year of decline in 2023, with sales expected to fall across most categories. This is due partly to the convenience trend, as consumers are choosing RTD tea as it is a more convenient…

Restrictions on movement, changing consumer preferences and the heightened focus on safety triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic are anticipated to alter the future of consumer mobility, urban planning and construction. The surge in homeworking, reduced…

In 2023, both retail and away-from-home tissue and hygiene in Japan maintained growth in current value terms. Demographics, the fading away of COVID-19, and inflation were key factors affecting the industry in 2023. Baby-related products such as…

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…