Bring Back Customers in the Scorching Heat! - The 2025 "Blazing Japan" Convenience Store Sales Revolution

1. Introduction: The Frontline of "Earth Boiling" is at the Checkout Counter

At 11:00 AM on July 9, 2025, a thermometer installed in the office district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, was already showing 37.5°C. According to past data from the Japan Meteorological Agency, the average temperature in central Tokyo in June was 27.1°C, which is 4.1°C higher than the average. There were 12 extremely hot days and 16 tropical nights, setting a new record since statistics began.data.jma.go.jp

In an environment where the outside temperature exceeds body temperature, a person's skin temperature rises by 1°C after just 20 minutes of walking, and the amount of sweat doubles. As a result, behavioral changes occur, such as "shopping online after returning home" and "avoiding going out even to the nearest store." Consequently, convenience stores, which are the leading business within walking distance, saw a decrease in peak-time customer visits by up to 15% compared to the previous year (Japan Franchise Chain Association June report).

2. Analyzing the Sharp Decline in Customer Visits: The Compound Risk of "Temperature × Telework"

According to Recruit's mobile spatial statistics, when the maximum temperature exceeds 35°C, the number of pedestrians in urban areas decreases by 12% on weekdays and 18% on holidays. Furthermore, in the IT and financial sectors, where the telework implementation rate is high, the office attendance rate drops to the 30% range, causing the lunchtime peak in office district convenience stores to disappear. Store owners lament that they are "fighting against the deficit in air conditioning costs rather than sales."

3. The Scene of "Service Cooling": FamilyMart's "Frozen Towels" and Ice Pillar Displays

The FamilyMart store in front of Keikyu Kawasaki Station in Kawasaki City introduced a system where frozen towels are provided for free from the store's freezer. The cost is about 1.5 yen per towel. As a result of spreading on social media, the number of lunchtime customers increased by 11% year-on-year, and the incidental purchase rate of drinks and fried foods improved by 20%.dailyshincho.jp

Seven-Eleven has trialed misting systems and ice pillar displays at eight stores in Tokyo. The mist can lower the perceived temperature by up to -3°C, and the ice pillars attract younger customers as they "create a cool scene." Ministop has launched in-store dining with a "free ice bag service," and each company is thoroughly implementing the order of "lowering the temperature first, then promoting purchases."

4. The "3 Million Hit" Famichiki Red: Spiciness and SNS Create "Heat That Makes You Want to Eat"

4-1. Development Background and Sales Performance

FamilyMart launched the extremely spicy flavor "Famichiki Red" nationwide on June 24. The blend of four types of chili peppers and Sichuan pepper oil, designed to "make you sweat 10 minutes after eating," was well-received, surpassing a cumulative total of 3 million servings within a week of its release.prtimes.jp

4-2. Spiciness Trends and Marketing Patterns

The correlation between spiciness and sweating is classic, but in the age of social media, "reaction appeal" is a requirement for a hit. Famichiki Red has made "#SweatyChicken" an official hashtag on X (formerly Twitter) and conducted repost and video posting campaigns. Influencers released 15-second videos shouting "deliciously sweaty," creating a cycle of "spread → purchase → re-experience videos" primarily among Generation Z.

5. Products That "Sell Coolness": Frozen Smoothies and "-5°C Design" Ice Cream

Seven-Eleven rebranded its "Seven Cafe Frozen," which "turns into a frappe when frozen for 30 minutes before drinking," and this year introduced the "Salty Lychee Milk" with "salt × freezing."

The series sold 800,000 cups within three days of its release. Ministop offered the "-5°C Soft Serve" with a theme of sub-zero melting at select stores, and daily ice cream sales jumped to 170% of the usual.

6. Selling "Heat Countermeasure Gear": Lawson × Coleman Men's Shift in Parasols

6-1. The Emergence of Outdoor Umbrellas from Convenience Stores

On April 29, Lawson launched a folding umbrella (55cm) and a wind-resistant vinyl umbrella jointly developed with Coleman. With "Dark Room Technology" that boasts over 90% light blocking and 99.9% UV shielding, they promoted the surprise of "buying high-spec gear next to the register."lawson.co.jpwatch.impress.co.jp

6-2. Rapid Expansion of the Men's Parasol Market

According to a survey published by AdverTimes in March, the ownership rate of men's parasols is expected to expand from 9% in 2020 to 20% in 2024, and 35% in 2025. A major advertising agency analyzed that "the normalization of abnormal weather has made 'heat protection fashion' gender-free." Lawson reported that 70% of folding umbrella purchasers were men aged 40 and over, supporting the market reality.advertimes.com

Furthermore, an actual use review by Impress Watch reported that "the perceived temperature definitely drops even under the scorching sun," causing a surge in search trends and leading to the immediate sell-out of online stock.watch.impress.co.jp

7. App Coupons and Delivery: Capturing Sales Even Without In-Store Visits

Seven-Eleven has expanded its "SevenNow" bicycle courier 30-minute delivery service in the metropolitan area. FamilyMart, in collaboration with Uber Eats, is running a lottery until the end of August where ordering Famichiki can win you a handy fan. Lawson is promoting "zero waiting at the register × reduced indoor stay time" with its "Lawson Smartphone Register," appealing to a UX that reduces stress during extreme heat.

8. Inbound Heatwave: How to Attract Foreign Tourists

According to JNTO, the number of visitors to Japan in July recovered to 115% compared to pre-COVID levels. Convenience store chains are

• implementing multilingual signage (English, Chinese, Korean, Thai) to announce "heatstroke warning alerts" and cooling products

• halal and vegan-friendly frozen meals and instant tax-free refunds

• cross-border e-commerce apps to capture repeat demand after returning home
  
  , solidifying their position as essential infrastructure for "scorching tourism."

9. Ripples in the Supply Chain: Electricity Costs, Rising Raw Material Prices, and Food Loss

Extreme heat directly drives up energy costs. According to the Japan Franchise Chain Association, the electricity usage per convenience store is expected to increase by 11.8% in fiscal 2024, with a 15% increase anticipated this summer.

Furthermore, high-temperature damage has led to a poor harvest of potatoes from Hokkaido, raising the cost of potato-based side dishes by 10%. More stores are adopting AI demand forecasting and "freshly fried on-demand" methods to reduce waste.

10. Roadmap to 2030: Retail Infrastructure in the Era of "Scorching Normalcy"

• Local cooling with ice storage air conditioning and solar PPA to locally produce and consume cooling power

• EV rapid charging integrated stores to maximize "waiting time sales"

• Aquaponics using groundwater to grow leafy vegetables in-store

• CO₂ recovery freezers to participate in emissions trading
  
  
  , and other models are being trialed to circulate energy and food as "local cooling hubs."

11. Conclusion: The Evolution into "Stores Selling Coolness" as a Textbook for Post-Global Warming Society

Extreme heat is not a transient disaster but a stress test that constantly shakes commercial infrastructure. Convenience stores, with their 24-hour operation and inventory turnover as weapons, can implement the strategy of "lowering body temperature first, then increasing purchase desire" the fastest. Service cooling, heat countermeasure gear, spicy food, app promotions, and inbound support—these interlinked "hybrid cooling strategies" will become the new standard for retail survival in scorching cities.

List of Reference Articles (External Links, in Date Order)

1. 2025-03-10　Advertimes
   Masataka Kubota and Mio Imada Featured - Expanding "Men's Parasol" Market Due to Abnormal Weather
   
   

2. 2025-04-29　Lawson Official Camping Blog
   You Can Buy Coleman's Umbrellas at Lawson!?
   
   

3. 2025-05-01　Impress Watch (News)
   Lawson, Coleman's Collaboration Folding Umbrella for All Weather
   
   

4. 2025-06-28　Impress Watch (Mini Review)
   Coleman × Lawson Parasol is Cool! Started Using Parasol
   
   

5. 2025-07-01　PR TIMES
   "Famichiki Red" Surpasses 3 Million Servings in One Week
   
   

6. 2025-07-09　Daily Shincho
   How to Attract Customers Who Don't Come Due to Heat - Convenience Stores Selling During "Extreme Heat" with 3 Million Hits
   
   

7. (Reference Data) Japan Meteorological Agency "Past Weather Data Search"
   Tokyo June 2025 Daily Values