Japan’s beleaguered shoppers are a worry for convenience stores and the economy

Seven & I’s 7-Eleven convenience store in Tokyo. Customer numbers at convenience stores have fallen for 15 consecutive months, according to data from the Japan Franchise Association. | REUTERS

Oct 30, 2026

Kana Sekiya, 43, used to shop near a train station in Tokyo on her way back home from work. Now she drives more than 30 minutes on weekends to a discount supermarket to buy groceries in bulk — one of a growing number of consumers shifting their shopping habits as prices rise.

“I’ve totally stopped going to convenience stores because of the rising cost of living,” she said.

Sekiya’s changing shopping habits are not just a concern for Japan’s once unassailable convenience stores, or konbini, but also a worrying sign for the economy, which has exited decades of deflation.

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