TOKYO — A ranking of the best-selling everyday items in Japan in 2024 compared to the previous year reflects lifestyle changes brought on after consumers experienced the intense summer head and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tokyo-based private research company Intage Inc. compiled sales data collected from approximately 6,000 supermarkets and other stores nationwide between January and October and announced the “2024 best-selling products ranking” based on their estimated sales growth rates, focusing on daily necessities and food.
The top spot went to shoe cleaners with sales increasing by 53% compared to 2023. Sheet-type cleaners for sneakers were particularly popular. A representative at Intage attributed this to “the shift to casual business attires and the impact of the intense summer heat.” Sneakers, which became popular for commuting amid the coronavirus pandemic, saw further demand due to the extreme heat. Shoe cleaners were favored for apparently being “portable, cost-effective and easy to use.”
In second place were facial masks, which rose from 15th place in 2023 with a 44% sales increase. The expansion of South Korean cosmetics and a boom driven by famous celebrities are believed to have contributed to this rise. Along with shoe cleaners, facial masks entered the annual top 10 for the first time since 2020, marking a new trend.
Rice, which experienced a nationwide shortage, ranked third with a 30% sales increase. “Rice dishes” — primarily prepackaged rice believed to have been bought by many people as an alternative to uncooked rice — ranked 10th, with sales up 13% from 2023. Retail prices of rice peaked in August, rising to about 1.7 times the usual amount, and high prices are reportedly still continuing in some areas including the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Cardiac stimulants ranked fifth, with sales rising by 18% from the previous year. The Intage representative said, “Their sales have been boosted by the increasing trend of inbound tourists and the weaker yen making them more affordable.” These household medicines, said to be effective for palpitations and shortness of breath, are especially popular among Chinese customers. They topped the annual ranking in 2023 and continued to grow steadily this year. Similarly, lip balms, in seventh place with a 16% increase, also garnered support from foreign tourists visiting Japan.
(Japanese original by Yuko Shimada, Business News Department)
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