Family Mart, one of Japan’s largest conbini operators with over 15,000 stores across the country, has aggressive goals to reduce food waste. And an unexpected strategy were a series of adorable, teary-eyed stickers that the company launched in March 2025.
With a message that reads “help us,” the stickers are placed on foods with an approaching expiration date and come with a small discount. But as it turns out, it’s not just about the money. In an experiment, the company found that the stickers actually resonate with customers, reminding them of the problem of food waste.
“In selecting the design, we created several illustrated designs based on the criteria of ‘being able to gain consumer sympathy’ and ‘being able to effectively appeal to the problem of food waste’” said the company. Based on a an experiment, they adopted the design that received the most support.
After rolling out the stickers, feedback has been strong. Family Mart expects that the initiative will lead to a food loss reduction of approximately 3,000 tons per year.
Propelled by the effectiveness of the stickers, the company is now giving them out for free and encouraging all shop owners to use them. They even created additional stickers for other foods as well. The lineup now includes onigiri, bread, sliced ham, a slab of salmon and a slice of cake.
Anyone who sells food can use them. Head to the official website below to download your own.
