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Japan 2024 convenience stores sales at record high on inbound tourism
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tora
The party won't last for ever. Mitigation plan, Japan?
TokyoLiving
Good for conbinis..
Good for Japan economy..
David Brent
....but they can't afford to pay a living wage to attract staff. Which is it?
browny1
All made possible by the work and efforts of tens of thousands of - in the main - "temporary immigrant" workers.
Hopefully they are being well compensated.
リッチ
Then why do they pay their staff slave wages.
リッチ
People in Japan can’t afford anything but riceballs at any of these stores. It’s ridiculous how expensive their food is. Why anyone would pay more than a vending machine for a drink is beyond me. There really isn’t any value in a Japanese convenience store anymore. They are just to expensive.
SarcasmOnly
Tourism tourism tourism
TorafusuTorasan
Shades of the Tokyo Olympic reporters who spent their meal times foraging for nourishment at the conbinis, followed by hyping their fave morsels in the media.
@Richi--some of these stores drop prices on an assortment of bentos just like you see at supermarkets close to the end of the day. Not always more expensive.
Rakuraku
An increase of 1.2 % of sales with an inflation between 2.5 % and 3% (officially but probably higher) means actually a very significant fall in volume. Not good at all.
kurisupisu
If tourists only knew how much they were paying above the usual price they would be horrified!
Example:A litre of milk is 30% more in convenience stores than the larger supermarkets.
Who is making profit here?
Not the workers….
WeiWei
Bolstered by major hikes in prices of everything above inflation rates. Fixed it for you.
Even riceballs are priced out these days ay 7-11. Who pays 190en for one ?!
kurisupisu
Foreigners and the rich do.
grc
Travelling around Asia I don’t see ‘Staff wanted’ posters in other countries’ 7-Eleven windows. But I DO see happy laughing staff. Perhaps because they pay them more than sen yen an hour?
Newgirlintown
Can we stop blaming ‘foreigners’ for all the bad things happening in Japan, now?
NCIS Reruns
A high portion of the merchandise at kombini are packaged as single-portion servings. This ties in closely with the demographic trend toward more single households -- both the young and the elderly -- living alone. These customers might be able to realize marginal savings by purchasing merchandise in larger volumes at supermarkets, but they know some of it would become stale or spoil before they finish consuming it. Kombini also realize profits because their product mix is constantly being re-evaluated and rationalized.
robert maes
Reprieve or delay of the inevitable. The tourist boom will end and the decline in population increase.
this reprieve should be used by the operators to prepare for the future. That means less outlets and mergers. Only way.
kohakuebisu
This is very true. Young living alone are likely to be in one-room apartments which can come with very little space or equipment for cooking. One ceramic ring and a 90l fridge, etc.
Its well established that it costs more to live alone, and not just because of convenience stores.
On tourism, I'll just say that its a waste to pay to fly to Japan and mostly eat convenience store food. Locals do it because they are busy and have work or college stresses. Japan has loads of cheap restaurants that do much better food for people who have more time and harder currencies.
wanderlust
Just don't take scenic pictures on the forecourt. And remember that these combinis sell much more than food, and often have multilingual staff present. More convenient than supermarkets and mom&pop shops for non-Japanese speaking customers.
iron man
mmmh. record income in yen? not knocking it. when I am there local F-mart my first go-to great staff, + the healthy eat-in/take-out veggie next to it, super freshie food-market 20m away. But considering XR v visitor income, inf rate v income. Speaking commercially trained language, where is the foundation, rental o'heads are the same? turnover up! Await the audited accounts! even at senteen yen/hr. My yen are in other securities.
But no matter the knocking. F-Mark rules for me.
osan
I think most readers miss the point. I am one of the tourist that you blame. Conbinis are very convenient as the name implies. When I just want something small like melon pan, crunchy pickled things and some drinks on my way back to the hotel, conbinis are the best option. They are often beside the major hotels, staff speak some English, can use mobile payments and there is no lineup. Paying 2-3 dollars extra is nothing compared to other alternatives like waiting in front of a restaurant in line for hours. I might be paying 30% more but I save my more valuable time, effort and sanity.
Ghibtonbo
the reasons increasing sales are not only increasing inbound tourism, but also management efforts of Japanese convenience store. accessible location, good variety of products.
WoodyLee
So are these conven. stores going to have an additional Tourist Sales Tax on to counter over tourism like Kyoto hotels did or not ???
shogun36
but they have a "labor shortage" and they "can't find" workers...........hmmmmmmm
HiJapan
Wild to see so many complaints about the pricing, you have not idea how much worse it can get. I am just back from three weeks in Japan from Canada, and the food at the Konbini was so cheap in comparison to what I would pay back home it felt like it was free.
enmaai
I like konbini stores, I don't have to make my own lunch box(obento) which is medokusai or go to a ramen shop or restaurant at lunch which is kinda expensive.
OssanAmerica
They are convenient. Which is what the extra price covers. Actually you can buy bentos in any supermarket at lower pricdes but there will be lines and they aren't everwhere.