Convenience store sector sales in Japan 2011-2020

In 2020, the convenience store sector in Japan generated an annual sales revenue amounting to around 12 trillion Japanese yen, an increase from around nine trillion yen compared to 2011. That year, convenience stores, so-called konbini, accounted for an almost eight percent share of retail sales.

Convenience businesses in retail

Convenience stores are an integral part of the Japanese retail sector. Selling a variety of food and non-food products, konbini are a point of sale for daily necessities and quick shopping trips. Additionally, while not a major business segment, the brick-and-mortar retailers offer a range of services, such as parcel drop-offs, financial services, and ticket sales.

Konbini operators

The Japanese convenience store sector is dominated by the presence of three operators, Seven-Eleven, Lawson, and FamilyMart. Through franchising and direct operations, the three brands are involved in the businesses of a majority of the domestic convenience store network. While smaller companies like Poplar and Ministop have successfully prevailed within the competitive market, they operate only a minority of the more than ten thousand convenience stores in the country.