Japan convenience stores post steepest customer drop since 2021

Japanese convenience stores have lost customers for 15 straight months as rising prices push shoppers toward discount supermarkets and bulk buying. In September, customer counts fell 3.8% year over year, the steepest decline since the pandemic-era drop in September 2021, even as average spending per visit has risen amid higher prices. Store operators say consumers are more price-conscious than expected, while inflation above the Bank of Japan’s 2% target is adding pressure on household budgets. Because consumer spending accounts for about half of Japan’s economy, continued belt-tightening could weigh on broader growth as the country emerges from decades of deflation.