Amid a wave of food inflation in Japan, convenience stores and supermarkets are enhancing their lineup of no-frills noodles to appeal to consumers looking for more affordable products.
Convenience store chain Lawson started marketing in late June two types of frozen noodles without any toppings, each priced at ?297 ($1.90). The price is more than 20% lower than that for its frozen noodles with toppings.
In October 2024, Lawson put on sale cup noodles without toppings, a product that focuses on quality broth. The product proved to be a big hit, thanks to its high-quality flavor and customizability, selling more than 5 million units.
Kanako Ochi, an official of Lawson¡¯s product division, pointed out that consumers are tightening their belts due to persistent inflation, adding that the company hopes to respond to their varying needs by offering products with new angles while keeping prices low.
Supermarket chain Aeon started selling fried noodles with no toppings such as pork and cabbage in April last year. The new product is priced as low as ?320, although it contains three times as much noodles as its existing fried noodle product.
It was initially sold only in some parts of the country, including the Tokyo metropolitan area, but the chain expanded its sales nationwide after it sold 10 times more than planned.
¡°We believe consumers appreciated its cost benefit amid increased cost of living,¡± said s spokesperson for Aeon.
Aeon also started marketing in July topping-free soba with twice the amount of noodles as its existing product.
As of the end of July,?some 18,000 products either had their prices increased this year or are set to have them raised by November, according to research firm Teikoku Databank.
With inflation expected to persist, no-frills products are set to remain a popular choice among consumers.
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