JapanConsuming
Real insight on Japanese consumer markets



Carbon labeling for Japanese retailers (May 9)
Nikkei reports that Japanese retailers are working with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on a new system to display the carbon footprint of on product packaging. At the moment, the plan appears to be to set up a voluntary system for retailers and manufacturers to adopt, with standardised labeling to show the [...]


iPod tax threat replay (May 9)
The Agency of Cultural Affairs is gunning for Apple again this year, with a new proposal to tax iPod - and other hard drive music player - sales in Japan. The Agency argues that iPod sales should include a royalty fee which can then be distributed to music companies, songwriters and artists. The Agency already [...]


Uny denies tie to Izumiya (May 6)
In researching the Uny ties with Auchan, a check on the Uny website revealed an interesting press release. As JapanConsuming went to press at the beginning of May, we dutifully recorded another Nikkei story outlining a new procurement tie-up between Uny and fellow regional major chain, Izumiya. Such a tie-up, as we noted in [...]


Uny expands tie with Auchan (May 6)
Japan’s number four GMS chain, Uny, has announced a tie-up with French supermarket giant Auchan to sell European goods in Japan according to Nikkei (Nikkei article). Auchan, which so far has not opened stores in Japan despite operating elsewhere in Asia, has run a wine wholesale business here for some years. Uny will apparently begin [...]


Mitsukoshi Isetan?s new Osaka store to have Isetan name (Apr 17)
As predicted in our April newsletter, there will be some major rebranding in the Mitsukoshi and Isetan portfolio of stores. The newly merged group of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd is to open its department store in Osaka in 2011 under the double branded Mitsukoshi Isetan name, rather than the initially planned Mitsukoshi brand. More significant [...]