Food and beverages retail sales revenue in Japan 2012-2021

In 2020, the sales value of the food and beverages retail industry in Japan amounted to around 45.2 trillion Japanese yen. Edibles represented a major segment within the domestic retail sector, covering a broad range of fresh produce, prepared meals, and shelf-stable food.

Where do Japanese buy food?

Non-store channels have been emerging slowly within consumer market segments in Japan. However, in-store retailers were by far the trusted providers for food and beverages. In particular, fresh produce with low durability that was needed at short notice were preferably purchased in physical stores. To take advantage of the trust in-store retailing, convenience stores in Japan introduced a pilot project for a delivery service in small neighborhoods. This allowed consumers to order food and daily necessities at corner stores nearby, with deliveries arriving within the same day.

What food do Japanese buy?

The average household in Japan spent more than 60 thousand yen on edibles per month, which were one of the main expense items weighing on the household budget. Home-cooking used to be the norm in the eating behavior of Japanese consumers, with homemade packed lunches (o-bento) being prepared early in the morning for mealtimes throughout the day. But in recent years, prepared food and eating out have been topping the list of food expense items, with store retailers catering to the demand with snack corners, packed lunches, and deep-fried side dishes prepared daily.