FamilyMart, one of Japan’s largest convenience store chains, has been steadily evolving its sustainability efforts under its long-term plan, Famima Eco Vision 2050. With set targets to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2050 (compared to 2018 levels), the retailer has explored a range of strategies, from packaging innovation to consumer education, to cut down on discarded products.
Among its most creative solutions is the “Teary-Eyed Sticker” initiative, which brings emotional intelligence into food marketing.
Ready-to-eat products like rice balls and bento boxes have short shelf lives and contribute significantly to food waste in convenience stores. While FamilyMart had already implemented discount stickers with barcodes on near-expiry items since 2021, they wanted to make these products more appealing and reduce the stigma some shoppers felt when buying discounted items.
Through consumer research and internal testing, FamilyMart uncovered a surprising behavioural barrier: many shoppers felt uncomfortable or embarrassed picking up multiple marked-down items, even when they were interested in saving food and money. This hesitation stemmed not from the discount itself, but from a subtle fear of judgment by others.
This finding prompted the team to test new forms of communication that could shift perceptions. They trialled various sticker designs, ranging from cheerful slogans like “Take me with you” to more emotionally honest messages. Surprisingly, the design that resonated most was also the simplest: a teary-eyed rice ball paired with the words “Please help me.” Customers described the design as “heartwarming” and said it encouraged them to take action—making the purchase feel like a small act of kindness rather than a bargain hunt.
In fall 2024, FamilyMart launched pilot tests with the new “Teary-Eyed Sticker”, applying it to nearly expired food items. The sticker was designed not only to convey urgency but also to evoke empathy, transforming the customer from a passive buyer into an active participant in reducing food waste.
Key product categories included:
The sticker was initially tested in select stores and then rolled out across the Tokai region in March 2025, followed by a nationwide expansion in April 2025.
The initiative showed immediate and measurable results:
Franchise staff also noticed changes in behavior. More customers began selecting items from the front of the shelves, helping stores better manage stock and reduce expired goods.
The “Teary-Eyed Sticker” initiative reflects a broader shift within FamilyMart, where teams across marketing and sustainability are working more closely to engage consumers in meaningful ways. Rather than treating sustainability as a compliance or operational issue alone, FamilyMart is increasingly drawing on marketing insights—such as behavioural science, design thinking, and emotional storytelling—to drive both awareness and action.
According to Kimio Harada, Manager of the Environmental Promotion Group:
“Even if we want to do something good for the planet, it’s meaningless if customers don’t understand or respond to it. Marketing gives us the tools to tell that story effectively.”
While the “Teary-Eyed Sticker” is already applied to a variety of categories, FamilyMart isn’t stopping there. Inspired by the initiative’s success, the company plans to:
Explore digital signage and app-based nudges to further guide consumer choices.
As General Manager Hiroyuki Osawa puts it:
“We want to be known as the challenger convenience store—offering customers surprises and delight through innovative marketing.”
The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF)’s CEO-led Coalition of Action on Food Waste brings together 21 of the world’s largest consumer goods retailers and manufacturers with the goal of halving per capita global food loss at the retailer and consumer levels. With its explicit CEO engagement, action-oriented commitments and passion for accelerating sustainable change on a global level, the Coalition is a leader in the effort to reduce food loss in supply chains worldwide by driving action on key issues such as public reporting, full supply chain engagement, post-harvest losses and regional challenges. Together, the Coalition and its members play a powerful role in the effort to reduce waste, reducing stress on the environment, benefitting the global economy and ensuring more food makes it to stores and onto consumers’ tables in the process. For more information about the Coalition, visit www.tcgffoodwaste.com.
The Food Waste Working Group (WG) in Japan is a Coalition of leading companies in the food sector commited to protecting food and water resources, the global environment, and vulnerable populations. To enhance societal resilience and contribute to improving people’s quality of life, the WG studies the latest global trends and initiatives from other industries. With a comprehensive view of the entire supply chain, it fosters mutual collaboration between upstream and downstream stakeholders to drive food waste reduction efforts.
For details on the the Japanese WG (in Japanese), see the CGF Japan office website.
Search 
Search 