As prices continue to rise, shops that buy foods that are about to expire and sell them at low prices are gaining popularity.

The store in Adachi Ward, Tokyo, sells about 300 items, including food that was purchased from companies and was still edible but was scheduled to be discarded, and food that was brought in and whose expiration date is approaching.

There are retort pouches, sweets, and beverages, all of which are sold at up to 90% off the normal price.



According to the store, sales in October, which was a rush to raise prices, were 30% higher than in September.



At the store, the color of the price tag makes it possible for visitors to know the expiration date and whether the product has passed its expiration date.



Yusuke Ogata, the owner of the store, said, "I feel that the number of stores that handle 'products with a reason', such as those whose expiration date is approaching, has increased recently. Many people are aware that edible products should not be discarded. I hope people will take it," he said.

Increased use of “translated products” on the Internet

As prices continue to rise, there is an increasing number of Internet sites that sell food items that are thrown away due to their expiration date approaching at a low price.



At the end of the year, sales of osechi have increased significantly, and the operating company says, "We want to reduce food loss."



Since 2015, the internet site "Kuradashi" has been buying and selling groceries and other items that would otherwise be thrown away because the expiration date is approaching or the package is damaged.



About 2,000 items are sold, including fresh food such as meat, vegetables, and fruits, and alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine.



At the end of the year, sales are increasing for frozen and refrigerated New Year dishes, and as of the 26th, the number of sales this year has increased by about 2.4 times compared to last year.



According to the site management company, the demand for New Year's dishes has increased due to the so-called "nesting demand", but this year there are no restrictions on the behavior of the new corona, so the number of reservations expected by the sales company is less than expected. There are many, and the number of products handled on the site is also increasing.

On the other hand, due to rising prices, more and more people want to buy osechi at a low price.



In addition, the number of sales of “wine” continues to increase.



In October, which was a rush of price increases, the increase was about 1.9 times that of the previous month.



The operating company says that through sales on this site, etc., it has led to a cumulative reduction of about 12,000 tons of food loss from February 2015 to September this year.



Yuho Tsukiji, the operator of the store, said, "By making it possible for users to enjoy shopping, we want to help reduce food waste."

Some products are scheduled to be discarded according to the "1/3 rule"

This site also handles many products that were planned to be discarded due to the purchasing practice called the "one-third rule".



The "one-third rule" states that, in the case of food products with a six-month shelf life, supermarkets and other retailers only purchase products that have been manufactured within two months, which is one-third of the shelf life, in principle, leading to an increase in food waste. It is said that the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is gradually reviewing it.



According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the amount of food loss generated in Japan is estimated to be 5.22 million tons in 2020, and reducing it has become a social issue.

the user is

A woman in her 40s in Tokyo who uses this site purchased osechi that was not sold at stores because the box was damaged.



The woman is a family of three, including her husband and junior high school son.



However, this year, considering the successive price increases of food items, I used the site to purchase frozen New Year dishes.



This osechi is three-layered and contains sea urchin and lobster, but it is not sold at retail stores because the box was damaged, and the suggested retail price is 10,000, which is half the regular price. It means that it was a yen.



The woman said, "I thought that if the ingredients were okay, there would be nothing to worry about. She explained why the price was so low, so she was relieved." was talking



As prices continue to rise, women try to save money on food and other expenses as much as possible.



In addition to osechi, I also use the site to purchase canned goods with dents and instant miso soup that is no longer available in stores because the sales season has passed.



Also, when shopping at supermarkets, etc., in addition to making a list of what you need, take pictures of the inside of the refrigerator and shelves with seasonings with your smartphone and check them while shopping. to



As a result of continuing these savings, it is said that food expenses per month were reduced by about 25,000 yen.



In addition, many of the foods sold on the site are not sold to the general public and are likely to be discarded by the company.



The site also displays how much the purchases have led to the reduction of food loss, and the women feel that they are contributing to environmental issues.



The woman said, ``The high prices have made me more aware of the importance of eliminating food loss.