Major convenience store operator Lawson Inc says that about 100 stores will not open on Jan 1, 2020.
Lawson has about 14,000 stores nationwide.
The decision to close some stores came after Lawson had a meeting with franchise owners this week, Fuji TV reported. Some franchisees said that they haven’t been doing much business on New Year’s Day in past years.
Lawson also said the decision is part of a plan to address the labor shortage that it and other convenience store operators are facing. Lawson has been conducting trials of shorter opening hours at some stores.
Lawson said it is introducing self-checkout systems at all its 14,000 stores. Customers can process their purchases by scanning barcodes themselves with cashier machines which can be used for either self-service or cashier-staffed checkout depending on how busy the stores are.
Only cashless payment methods such as credit cards and digital currency will be accepted at the self-checkout points, the company said.
In August, Lawson experimented with operating two unmanned stores from midnight to 5 a.m.
© Japan Today/Kyodo
14 Comments
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GyGene
Well, I’m glad. We, the customers, can prepare for a few holidays a year for these stores.
Gaijinjland
I can understand their reasoning but... in regards to self check out systems due to a labor shortage it doesn’t work in Japan.
My local Tobu supermarket recently installed automated checkouts and it has just made everything slower. Automated checkouts don’t work if half the customers are over 80 years old and can’t even read a piece of paper let alone a touch screen. The elderly can’t do it and staff have to go over and spend 5 minutes with these customers at the self check outs, making everyone else wait.
mike1492
I'm appalled. I'll never shop there again.
Flute
What don't you apply to cover up the schedule ? You can even propose your service for all national holidays, week-end and obviously night shift.
Open Minded
Seriously, who will notice 0.7% closure of these Lawson convenient stores apart from the few ones living in the 100 meters radius, while there are still 7/11 and Familimart in every corners.
If this is not a storm in a cup of tea, I do not understand the meaning of it.
bass4funk
Just go to 7-Eleven
Luddite
I do not like self service, if I have to do everything myself give me a discount. I wouldn't feel safe going into an unstaffed shop at night. If there are no staff then close the shop at night.
Drako
@YubaRu
Where I come from food is cheaper, and someone puts the groceries in the bag. Why would prices be higher? It wouldn't hurt these lazy CEO's to take a paycut and pay the workers better. The gov't hides behind the "The population is aging", when really the problem is people here are expected to work like dogs for very little pay, treated like a slave, beat down, abused and used, al while the the CEO eats his blue fin tuna and smokes his imported cigars while sipping on imported fine wine. Why would anyone want to work 12-18 hours a day with a 15 minute break, and make only ¥800 an hour. One thing Japanese companies have learned to do very well is to exploit their workers. The very main reason I will NEVER work for a Japanese company.
Xx9191
This is the fact here in Japan, this very normal decision becomes news. Lol
Ganbare Japan!
I am disappointed. They are suppose to be Convenience stores. Not opening on New Years Day is inconvenient. Do they think they will just pick and choose which days they want to open now. Real bad move by Lawson, real bad.
Yubaru
Folks TOTALLY misunderstand the point of these self pay registers, you obviously havent heard that there is a labor shortage in Japan.
You want to pay higher prices across the board just for the convenience of having someone ring up and bag your groceries?
Lazy fools I say!
Yubaru
You had better stop using your local supermarket, the local department store, just about any family restaurant, full service gas station, your local karaoke place, and just about anywhere else there are hourly paid workers as well!
You REALLY are going to have a hard time living here if you plan to keep your word and not be a hypocrite for singling out just Lawson.
Drako
@garypen.I say that to myself everytime I go to a store and have to put my own purchases in a bag. Japanese thrive on customer service so I am told. However I have to bag my own goods.
garypen
If the business doesn't warrant it, the franchise owners should be allowed to close on holidays, overnights, etc. It's only fair.
OTOH, when they're open for business, they should be staffed appropriately. I don't work there. I shouldn't have to ring up my own purchases.