Japanese convenience store ready to fight new challenge

Healthcare is becoming a staple category for Japanese convenience store chains as they seek to counter the encroachment of pharmacies on their traditional product ranges.

According reports, while Japanese drugstores are increasingly offering snacks and quick meals, convenience stores are now selling medicines and even setting up health consultation stations in stores.

Lawson-branded stores have launched 17 in-store consultation corners and plans to expand this number to 100 locations.

Lawson president Sadanobu Takemasu said the company wants to resolve the community issues that arise “in an age where many people live to be 100”. The service is intended to attract more families and elderly people.

FamilyMart and Seven-Eleven convenience chains in Japan have also been found to be selling medicines, with some also offering pharmacy-style advice.

Japanese drugstores have been increasingly expanding beyond medical products in recent years, which has paid off. The value of pharmacy industry sales has gone up five per cent in the past two years, as opposed to two per cent on convenience store sales over the same period.

The number of pharmaceutical outlets increased 11 per cent since 2015, during which time convenience store expansion was limited to just three per cent.