Responding to Value, Health, Safety and Environmental Protection Priorities

「Although demand for eating out is recovering as inbound demand returns, the operating environment surrounding the Group remains challenging due to higher raw material and labor costs and the continued consumer preference for saving in response to elevated prices.」

「During the first 6 months of the fiscal year ending March 2024 (1 April 2023 to 30 September 2023), the Japanese economy saw increases in human mobility and personal consumption showed signs of recovery, due in part to increased inbound demand following the termination of border control measures, including entry restrictions, effective 29 April, and the reclassification of COVID-19 to Category 5 under the Infectious Diseases Control Law effective 8 May.」

「Inbound demand increased following the termination of border control measures, including entry restrictions, effective 29 April, and the reclassification of COVID-19 to Category 5 under the Infectious Diseases Control Law effective 8 May. Human mobility also increased, and personal consumption is showing signs of recovery.」

「Although the food-service industry experienced its first Golden Week in 3 years without operating restrictions, the number of new COVID-19 cases rose from July onward during the seventh wave, resulting in a decline in customer traffic.」

「During the first quarter of the fiscal year ending March 2023 (1 April 2022 to 30 June 2022), the Japanese economy saw signs of recovery in human mobility as efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 progressed, third-round vaccinations advanced and the priority preventive measures were lifted in March this year.」

「Although the priority preventive measures were lifted in March this year, consumers continued to refrain from dining and holding banquets in large groups, and the challenging operating environment persisted.」

「The food-service industry was subject to shortened business hours under states of emergency and priority preventive measures, as well as bans on serving alcoholic beverages and restrictions on serving hours. Although the state of emergency was lifted in October, consumers continued to refrain from dining and holding banquets in large groups, and the challenging operating environment persisted.」

「The food-service industry likewise continues to face an extremely challenging operating environment due to shortened business hours under states of emergency and priority preventive measures, as well as bans on serving alcoholic beverages and restrictions on serving hours.」

「The food-service industry continues to face an extremely challenging operating environment due to shortened business hours under states of emergency and priority preventive measures, as well as bans on serving alcoholic beverages and restrictions on serving hours.」

「Although the economy as a whole is showing signs of recovery as a result of various government measures, the business environment remains challenging, with consumers continuing to refrain from eating out and avoid dining in large groups.」

「Even after the state of emergency was lifted, difficult conditions continued, with people continuing to refrain from dining out and large-group dining being avoided. Although all stores resumed operations from 1 June, people continued to work from home and refrain from nonessential, nonurgent outings, while a shift from dining out to eating at home was also observed, leaving the outlook for recovery uncertain.」

「The food-service industry remains in a challenging situation. Amid continued increases in labor, raw-material and logistics costs, competition across industries and business formats is intensifying due to diversifying consumer needs, persistent consumer frugality and the consumption tax increase, which resulted in a 10% tax rate for dining out versus the reduced 8% rate for prepared meals.」

「The food service industry continues to face difficult conditions, including persistently high labor, raw material and logistics costs, increasingly diverse consumer needs, a deep-rooted preference for saving, and intensifying competition across industry boundaries.」

「The food service industry continues to face difficult conditions, including higher labor costs due to labor shortages, soaring raw material and logistics costs, increasingly diverse consumer needs, and intensifying competition across industry boundaries.」

「As consumers' awareness of food matures, preferences and needs are becoming increasingly diverse, while preferences for value, health and safety are strengthening further.」

「In addition, as consumers' awareness of food matures, preferences and needs are becoming increasingly diverse, while preferences for value, health and safety are strengthening further.」

「The food service industry continues to face a difficult operating environment, including higher raw material prices due to the weaker yen and rising logistics costs, higher labor costs due to labor shortages, increasingly diverse customer preferences, and the need to address food safety and security.」

「The food service industry continues to face a difficult operating environment, including increasingly diverse customer preferences and the need to address food safety and security.」

「The food service industry continues to face a difficult operating environment, including higher raw material prices due to the weaker yen and rising logistics costs, higher labor costs due to labor shortages, increasingly diverse customer preferences, and the need to address food safety and security.」

「In addition, as consumers' awareness of food matures, preferences and needs are becoming increasingly diverse, while preferences for value, health and safety are strengthening further.」

「The food-service industry continues to operate in a challenging business environment, including a renewed rise in consumer frugality due to changes in consumer sentiment, higher raw-material prices caused by adverse weather and a worsening supply-demand balance, and higher labor costs against a backdrop of labor shortages.」

「The food-service industry continues to operate in a challenging business environment, including a renewed rise in consumer frugality due to changes in consumer sentiment, higher raw-material prices caused by adverse weather and a worsening supply-demand balance, and higher labor costs against a backdrop of labor shortages.」

「As consumers' awareness of food matures, preferences and needs are becoming increasingly diverse, while preferences for value, health and safety are strengthening further.」