Packaged Food Sales in Japan 2012 Report
-EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2011, Japan was hit by a series of natural disasters that led to serious national turmoil as well as the disruption of many production facilities and commercial activities. The uncertainty resulting from these events led Japanese consumers to reduce unnecessary spending. Most have curbed their consumption of impulse and indulgence products and reduced the frequency at which they eat out, to conserve finances until the economy shows signs of greater stability.
The economic conditions in Japan are expected to improve during the first half of the 2012-2016 forecast period, with a 1% gross domestic product (GDP) growth projected for 2012. With these gains, consumer confidence is expected to slowly return.
The Japanese food processing market has traditionally been viewed as complex and challenging to enter. However, a series of factors including an increasing emphasis on convenient, quick-to-prepare, ready-to-eat and value-priced foods, have opened some opportunities for exporters in this market.
Packaged sauces, boxed meals and instant meals are growing more popular, as the fast-paced lifestyle in Japan pushes consumers away from preparing homemade meals from scratch. In addition, young professionals living away from home have become a unique demographic of consumers demonstrating significant demand for processed foods.
Japanese consumers are also very interested in new and innovative products. Japanese food manufacturers continue to produce some of the most novel products on the market. Many productinnovations launched in Japan have gone global, particularly in the functional food industry. In general, products that target health matters are very popular in Japan, especially as the population continues to age. The Japanese population as a whole is the oldest of any country within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
