Convenience store sales up in 2021 on stay-home demand

Sales at convenience stores in Japan in 2021 rose 0.6% from the previous year to ¥10.3 trillion on a same-store basis, marking the first growth in two years, the Japan Franchise Association said Thursday.

Although people tended to continue refraining from going out for nonessential purposes amid the coronavirus pandemic, sales of frozen food and alcoholic beverages increased as stores expanded their lineups of the products to meet demand from those staying at home.

On an all-store basis, sales grew 1.1% to ¥10.8 trillion, but fell short of ¥11.2 trillion in 2019, before the start of the pandemic.

Covered by the data are outlets run by seven major convenience store operators, including Seven-Eleven Japan Co., FamlyMart Co., Lawson Inc. and Ministop Co.. The seven firms had a total of 55,950 stores as of the end of last year, up by 26 from a year before.

On a same-store basis, the number of shoppers at convenience stores in 2021 fell 2.5% from 2020, due partly to unfavorable weather in summer.

The amount of purchases per customer rose 3.2% to ¥694.9 thanks to buying in bulk amid the virus crisis.

In December alone, same-store sales expanded 3.2% to ¥932.5 billion, up for the first time in three months, led by strong demand for Christmas cakes and osechi traditional New Year’s food, the association said.