Convenience Stores Beef Up Apparel to Attract Young Shoppers

Tokyo, Oct. 4 (Jiji Press)--Major convenience store chains in Japan are expanding their apparel offerings, including clothing and fashion accessories, to attract more young consumers.

While convenience store apparel has traditionally been purchased mainly to meet urgent needs, such as during business trips or rainy weather, operators hope that rolling out products emphasizing design and materials will encourage more people seeking fashionable items to shop at convenience stores.

Seven-Eleven Japan Co. teamed up with apparel company And ST Co. to release 28 limited-edition items, including T-shirts, scrunchies and scarves from And ST's "nico and..." and "Lowrys Farm" brands, which are popular among young women, in stores across the country on Sept. 25.

According to Seven-Eleven Japan, people in their 50s and older accounted for about 40 pct of visitors to its stores last fiscal year, while those in their 20s and younger made up only about 17 pct.

"Attracting younger customers is essential for us to continue growing over the long term," Junko Watanabe of the company's merchandising division said. Seven-Eleven Japan aims to double its apparel sales from fiscal 2025.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]