News Labour shortage: 12% of combinis not open 24 hours

Gasp..... A survey by Kyodo News revealed that due to a lack of workers and a drop in late-night customers, approximately 12% of convenience stores managed by leading companies have ceased 24-hour operations. Out of the 55,000 stores surveyed in April, about 6,400 had reduced their hours between February and April. To address the growing labour shortage, some stores have quickened the deployment of self-checkout systems.

Industry leader Seven-Eleven Japan Co has shortened business hours at over 200 additional stores since fiscal 2020 at the request of franchise owners, while Lawson Inc has implemented similar measures at about 100 more stores. Among the top three Japanese convenience chains -- Seven-Eleven Japan, Lawson and FamilyMart Co -- the proportion of stores with shortened business hours was relatively low at around 8 to 10 per cent, compared with other smaller operators. Seicomart, the largest convenience chain in Hokkaido, northern Japan, logged the highest rate of stores cutting business hours at 87 per cent, followed by Poplar Co, headquartered in Hiroshima, western Japan, at 79 per cent. "We are taking measures by taking into consideration sales and sustainability," said an official of Ministop Co, which allowed 22 per cent of stores to run shorter business hours.

Click to expand...

Background:
Since Seven-Eleven inaugurated Japan's first 24-hour convenience store in Tokyo's Koto Ward in May 1974, these stores have become a common sight, offering groceries and financial services, parcel delivery, and more. Yet, the local market is now oversaturated, and excessive work hours have emerged due to a worsening labour shortage. The 2019 conflict between an Osaka franchisee and Seven-Eleven Japan over continuous operations brought these concerns to the forefront.