Lawson to sell small lots of government rice
Major Japanese convenience store chain Lawson says it will start selling rice obtained from the government in small packages to suit the demands of consumers.
The government has been releasing the staple from stockpiles amid high prices.
The firm said it plans to sell 1-kilogram bags for 360 yen before tax, or about 2 dollars and 50 cents. It will sell 2-kilogram bags for 700 yen.
Lawson has bought 500 tons of rice through a no-bid contract.
President and CEO Takemasu Sadanobu said that seniors and people living alone are among the chain's frequent customers. Takemasu said: "Our business has been growing by offering smaller-sized products to meet the needs of our customers. We will keep putting importance on that."
Lawson also says it will sell lower-price onigiri rice balls made with rice from the crop harvested in 2022 and 2023. The price of onigiri has risen around 18 percent compared to a year ago.
Another convenience store chain, FamilyMart, has already announced plans to start selling 1-kilogram bags of the government-released rice early this month.
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