Japan’s C-Stores Stocking More Branded Apparel

Convenience-store operator Seven-Eleven Japan has said it will launch new clothing and accessories developed jointly with an affiliate of apparel firm And ST HD starting Sept. 25, The Japan Times reports.

In doing so, the chain is following in the footsteps of rivals FamilyMart (1,250 stores in Japan), which launched “Convenience Wear” products featuring unique designs and materials in 2021, and Lawson (nearly 15,000 stores there), which sells Muji brand clothing from Japan’s Ryohin Keikaku.

Until now, Seven-Eleven Japan – which operates about 21,000 stores in its home country – has stuck to selling generic socks, T-shirts and stockings mainly intended for “emergency purchases,” the newspaper noted. Seven-Eleven Japan says its move to sell more apparel is an effort to attract young customers and double its annual clothing sales from the previous fiscal year.

“A total of 28 products will go on sale [at Seven-Eleven Japan stores], including a limited-edition T-shirt from And ST HD’s popular Niko brand, socks from its Lowrys Farm brand and Niko scarves and mittens,” the JT story said. “Then, starting in late October, Seven-Eleven Japan will release 10 products made with And ST HD and featuring major Japanese character goods maker Sanrio’s Hello Kitty.”

Seven-Eleven Japan is a unit of Seven & i Holdings, which also owns the 7-Eleven stores in the U.S. At the latter stores, much of the emphasis in recent years has been on upping the quality of their in-store food offerings, a variety of published reports say.