Sluggish consumption, diverse eating habits and intensifying cross-industry competition
First written in FY2017-Q1. 20 of 38 entries say "Reframed", first in FY2018-Q1. Latest entry: 2026-10-09.
Ringer Hut moved to the "Worse" side of this theme in 2022, 2 years after the typical company in this theme (2020).
The whole theme swung hardest in 2020: 33 of 49 companies on the "Worse" side.
3 other companies' latest entry also says "Reframed".
- 2026-10-09ReframedEarnings
「外食需要は回復しつつあるものの、原材料費・光熱費の高騰や人件費の上昇など、依然として事業を取り巻く環境は厳しいものとなっております。」
外食需要の回復を示す一方、原材料費・光熱費・人件費の上昇を残る厳しい環境要因として記載している。 - FY2027-H1RestatedAnnual report
「During the interim consolidated accounting period, Japan's economic environment was characterized by gradual recovery as the income environment improved on the back of high wage growth. At the same time, personal consumption showed signs of stagnating due to rising prices. In addition, the unstable international situation, including geopolitical risks arising from conditions in the Middle East and the impact of US policies, has continued to make the outlook uncertain. In the food-service industry, demand is recovering, but the business environment remains challenging due to higher raw material and utility costs and rising labor costs.」
The company points to improvements in the income environment and a recovery in food-service demand, while continuing to cite sluggish personal consumption due to high prices, geopolitical risks, US policies, and higher raw material, utility, and labor costs as factors contributing to a challenging business environment. - FY2025ReframedAnnual report
「During the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economy remained on a gradual recovery trend due to improved income conditions resulting from high wage growth and an increase in visitors to Japan. At the same time, personal consumption showed signs of stagnating due to higher prices. The outlook also remained uncertain due to geopolitical risks related to Ukraine and the Middle East and the impact of US policies. In the food service industry, consumer activity recovered and customer traffic increased, but the business environment remained challenging due to surging raw material and utility costs and ongoing hiring difficulties.」
While the recovery in consumer activity and customer traffic is noted, Ukraine and the Middle East, US policies, surging raw material and utility costs, and hiring difficulties are identified as new external environmental factors, together with sluggish personal consumption due to higher prices. - FY2025-H1ReframedAnnual report
「In the food service industry, customer traffic recovered steadily as opportunities to eat out increased following the easing of activity restrictions the previous year, but higher prices resulted in a tendency to restrain real consumption. The business environment also remained challenging due to surging raw material and utility costs and ongoing hiring difficulties.」
While the recovery in customer traffic following the easing of activity restrictions is noted, the description has been updated to characterize the food service environment as affected by restrained real consumption due to higher prices, surging raw material and utility costs, and hiring difficulties. - FY2025-Q1ReframedAnnual report
「During the first quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, income conditions improved due to high wage growth, while personal consumption, which had been gradually recovering, continued to show little growth. The outlook also remained uncertain due to the impact of a weaker yen and higher prices.」
In addition to the previous explanation centered on post-pandemic normalization, raw material costs, and hiring difficulties, the economic environment is described in terms of improved income conditions due to high wage growth, sluggish personal consumption, a weaker yen, and higher prices. - FY2024ReframedAnnual report
「During the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment moved toward normalization as activity restrictions were eased following the reclassification of COVID-19 as a Class 5 infectious disease on 8 May 2023. However, the outlook remained uncertain due to factors including the impact of globally surging resource prices resulting from the prolonged Russia-Ukraine situation and significant fluctuations in foreign exchange rates. In the food service industry, customer traffic recovered steadily as opportunities to eat out increased following the easing of activity restrictions, but the business environment remained challenging due to surging raw material, utility, and personnel costs and ongoing hiring difficulties.」
While the normalization of the economy and recovery in customer traffic following the reclassification of COVID-19 as a Class 5 infectious disease and the easing of activity restrictions are explicitly noted, the text describes the environment as remaining challenging due to resource prices, foreign exchange rates, raw material and utility costs, personnel costs, and hiring difficulties. - FY2024-Q3ReframedAnnual report
「During the third quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economy gradually recovered, supported by increased personal consumption amid the normalization of economic activity and tourism demand, including inbound demand. However, the outlook remained uncertain overseas due to factors including the prolonged Russia-Ukraine situation and the impact of a weaker yen resulting from the interest-rate differential between Japan and the United States. In the food service industry, personal consumption, which had fallen significantly during the pandemic, was also recovering after COVID-19 was reclassified as a Class 5 infectious disease. However, the business environment remained challenging due to reduced purchasing power resulting from prolonged inflation, surging raw material and utility costs, and hiring difficulties that have become more pronounced since the pandemic.」
While the recovery in economic activity, personal consumption, and tourism demand is noted, the remaining challenges are described as a weaker yen, reduced purchasing power due to prolonged inflation, surging raw material and utility costs, and hiring difficulties. - FY2024-Q2ReframedAnnual report
「In the food service industry, consumer purchasing activity was returning to pre-pandemic levels following the reclassification of COVID-19 as a Class 5 infectious disease, but the business environment remained challenging due to concerns over slowing consumption amid continuing inflation, surging raw material and utility costs, and prolonged hiring difficulties.」
While consumer activity is gradually normalizing from the pandemic, the text describes the food service environment as challenging, including concerns over slowing consumption and prolonged hiring difficulties in addition to the previously cited inflation, raw material costs, utility costs, and hiring difficulties. - FY2024-Q1ReframedAnnual report
「During the first quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economy gradually recovered, supported by increased personal consumption amid the normalization of economic activity and a recovery in inbound demand following the easing of border-control measures. However, the outlook remained uncertain overseas due to factors including the prolonged Russia-Ukraine situation and the impact of higher interest rates resulting from monetary tightening. In the food service industry, consumer purchasing activity was returning to pre-pandemic levels following the reclassification of COVID-19 as a Class 5 infectious disease, but the business environment remained challenging due to concerns over weaker consumption amid continuing inflation, surging raw material and utility costs, and ongoing hiring difficulties.」
While the normalization of economic activity and recovery in personal consumption and inbound demand are noted, the risk description has been updated to characterize the food service environment as challenging due to inflation, surging raw material and utility costs, and hiring difficulties. - FY2023ReframedAnnual report
「During the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment began to show signs of normalization and recovery as restrictions were gradually eased following the full lifting of the quasi-emergency measures to prevent the spread of disease on 22 March 2022, amid the prolonged impact of COVID-19. At the same time, the outlook remained uncertain due to factors including the impact of globally surging resource prices resulting from the prolonged Russia-Ukraine situation and significant fluctuations in foreign exchange rates.」
The description has shifted from activity constraints caused by the pandemic to signs of normalization and recovery in economic activity, while the Russia-Ukraine situation, resource prices, and foreign exchange fluctuations are identified as new sources of uncertainty. - FY2023-Q3ReframedAnnual report
「During the third quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment saw continued signs of a recovery as efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and vaccinations progressed and restrictions on economic activity were eased. However, the outlook remained uncertain due to concerns over further increases in raw material and energy prices resulting from prolonged instability in international affairs. The food service industry has been on a recovery trend following the easing of activity restrictions, but the operating environment surrounding the business remained challenging due to the continued tendency to refrain from large-group dining and banquets and changes in consumers’ lifestyles.」
While a recovery trend in the economy and food service industry following the easing of activity restrictions is noted, prolonged instability in international affairs, concerns over further increases in raw material and energy prices, reluctance to engage in large-group dining, and lifestyle changes are described as sources of uncertainty about the outlook. - FY2023-Q2ReframedAnnual report
「The food service industry has been on a recovery trend following the easing of restrictions on activities, but the operating environment has remained challenging due to the continued tendency to refrain from large-group dining and banquets and changes in consumers’ lifestyles.」
While a recovery trend in the food service industry following the easing of activity restrictions is noted, the text states that conditions remain challenging due to reluctance to engage in large-group dining and banquets and lifestyle changes. - FY2023-Q1ReframedAnnual report
「During the first quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment saw continued signs of a gradual recovery as efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and vaccinations progressed and restrictions on economic activity were gradually eased. However, the outlook remained uncertain due to surging raw material and energy prices resulting from increasing instability in international affairs. Although the quasi-emergency measures to prevent the spread of disease were lifted in March 2022, the operating environment surrounding the food service industry remained challenging due to the continued tendency to refrain from large-group dining and banquets and changes in consumers’ lifestyles.」
While the easing of restrictions on economic activity through infection-control measures and vaccinations is noted, increasing instability in international affairs, surging raw material and energy prices, reluctance to engage in group dining, and lifestyle changes are described as new sources of uncertainty in the food service environment. - FY2022ReframedAnnual report
「During the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment remained uncertain, as domestic personal consumption continued to stagnate due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, declarations of a state of emergency, and the application of quasi-emergency measures to prevent the spread of disease. The food service industry was forced to restrict its business activities through a decline in opportunities to eat out due to requests for people to refrain from going out, temporary store closures, and shortened business hours. At the same time, the environment surrounding the business changed significantly, requiring a flexible response as takeout, delivery services, and frozen food sales increased, and competition with rival companies became increasingly intense.」
The food service environment is described as being centered on the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, reduced opportunities to eat out and restrictions on stores, changes in the demand structure reflected in increased takeout, delivery, and frozen food sales, and intensifying competition. - FY2022-Q3ReframedAnnual report
「During the third quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment remained uncertain despite expectations of an economic recovery following the lifting of the state of emergency, due to concerns over the emergence and spread of variants and surging resource prices. In the food service industry, some signs of recovery emerged following the lifting of requests to shorten business hours, but the operating environment remained challenging.」
While partial recovery following the lifting of the state of emergency and requests to shorten business hours is noted, the emergence and spread of variants and surging resource prices are described as new sources of uncertainty about the outlook. - FY2022-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「During the second quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment remained challenging, as the end of the COVID-19 pandemic remained out of sight. In the food service industry, an extremely challenging operating environment continued due in part to shortened business hours under the state of emergency and the quasi-emergency measures to prevent the spread of disease, as well as declining customer traffic caused by calls for people to refrain from going out.」
The absence of a clear end to the COVID-19 pandemic, shortened business hours, calls for people to refrain from going out, and declining customer traffic resulting from the state of emergency and related measures are reaffirmed as conditions that continue to make the food service environment extremely challenging. - FY2022-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「During the first quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment remained challenging, as the end of the COVID-19 pandemic remained out of sight. In the food service industry, an extremely challenging operating environment continued due in part to shortened business hours under the state of emergency and the quasi-emergency measures to prevent the spread of disease, as well as declining customer traffic caused by calls for people to refrain from going out.」
The absence of a clear end to the COVID-19 pandemic, shortened business hours, calls for people to refrain from going out, and declining customer traffic resulting from the state of emergency and related measures are reaffirmed as conditions that continue to make the food service environment extremely challenging. - FY2021ReframedAnnual report
「In the food service industry, many stores were forced to suspend operations or shorten their business hours due to the spread of COVID-19. As lifestyles and consumer behavior shifted rapidly from dining in to takeout, delivery services, and other off-premise dining, the environment required companies to respond to these changes, and competition with rival companies for customers became increasingly intense.」
In addition to suspensions of operations and shortened business hours due to COVID-19, the shift in consumer behavior from dining in to takeout and delivery, together with intensifying competition, is identified as a new change in the food service environment. - FY2021-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「During the third quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment deteriorated rapidly due to the global spread of COVID-19. In the food service industry, sales declined sharply across companies due in part to requests to suspend operations and calls for people to refrain from going out to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and an extremely challenging operating environment with no clear outlook continued.」
The economic deterioration caused by COVID-19, sharply declining customer traffic, and significant declines in sales across food service companies continue to be described as an extremely challenging operating environment. - FY2021-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「During the second quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment deteriorated rapidly due to the global spread of COVID-19, while uncertainty in the global economy also increased due to factors including intensifying US-China trade friction. In the food service industry, sales declined sharply across companies due in part to requests to suspend operations and calls for people to refrain from going out to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and an extremely challenging operating environment with no clear outlook continued.」
The global spread of COVID-19 and the resulting rapid economic deterioration, sharply declining customer traffic, and significant declines in sales across companies are cited, with the food service industry described as facing extremely challenging conditions. - FY2021-Q1ReframedAnnual report
「During the first quarter of the current consolidated fiscal year, Japan’s economic environment saw consumer activity stagnate significantly as the COVID-19 pandemic spread, while uncertainty in the global economy also increased due to factors including intensifying US-China trade friction. In the food service industry, the operating environment surrounding the Group remained challenging due to sharp declines in customer traffic resulting from requests to suspend operations and calls for people to refrain from going out to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as the continuing impact of the consumption tax increase.」
The focus of risk has shifted from the previous explanation of uncertainty arising from natural disasters and overseas conditions to an operating environment centered on stagnating consumer activity due to COVID-19, requests to suspend operations, calls for people to refrain from going out, and sharply declining customer traffic. - FY2020ReframedAnnual report
「In the food service industry, competition with rival companies for customers became increasingly intense, amid consumers’ preference for saving following the consumption tax rate increase, continued surging raw material prices, and ongoing hiring difficulties and increases in hourly wages for part-time employees.」
In addition to consumers’ preference for saving, raw material prices, and labor shortages, the food service environment is described as being affected by the consumption tax rate increase and increasingly intense competition with rival companies for customers. - FY2020-Q3ReframedAnnual report
「In the food service industry, challenging conditions continued due to consumers’ preference for saving following the consumption tax increase, surging raw material prices, and ongoing hiring difficulties and increases in hourly wages for part-time employees.」
The explanation of consumers’ preference for saving, raw material prices, and labor shortages has been expanded to identify the consumption tax increase as a factor behind that preference. - FY2020-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In the food service industry, challenging conditions continued due to consumers’ preference for saving, surging raw material prices, and ongoing hiring difficulties and increases in hourly wages for part-time employees.」
The challenging environment in the food service industry arising from consumers’ preference for saving, surging raw material prices, and hiring difficulties and rising hourly wages for part-time employees continues to be described. - FY2020-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「In the food service industry, challenging conditions continued due to consumers’ preference for saving, surging raw material prices, and ongoing hiring difficulties and increases in hourly wages for part-time employees.」
The challenging environment in the food service industry arising from consumers’ preference for saving, surging raw material prices, and hiring difficulties and rising hourly wages for part-time employees was reaffirmed. - FY2019RestatedAnnual report
「In the food service industry, challenging conditions continued due to consumers’ preference for saving, surging raw material prices, and ongoing hiring difficulties and increases in hourly wages for part-time employees.」
The challenging conditions in the food service industry arising from consumers’ preference for saving, surging raw material prices, and hiring difficulties and rising hourly wages were reaffirmed for the full year. - FY2019-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the food service industry, challenging conditions continued due to consumers’ preference for saving, surging raw material prices, and ongoing hiring difficulties and increases in hourly wages for part-time employees.」
The challenging environment in the food service industry arising from consumers’ preference for saving, surging raw material prices, and hiring difficulties and rising hourly wages for part-time employees continues to be described. - FY2019-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「In the food service industry, consumers’ preference for saving, surging raw material prices, and ongoing hiring difficulties and increases in hourly wages for part-time employees continued, leaving the operating environment challenging.」
Consumers’ preference for saving, surging raw material prices, and hiring difficulties and rising hourly wages continue to be described as challenging conditions in the food service industry. - FY2019-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「Competition across sectors driven by diversified food preferences has become increasingly challenging in the food service industry, amid surging raw material prices, ongoing hiring difficulties, rising hourly wages for part-time employees, and a growing emphasis on quality, including food safety and consumer confidence.」
The challenging conditions arising from surging raw material prices, hiring difficulties and rising hourly wages, an emphasis on quality, and cross-sector competition driven by diversified food preferences continue to be described. - FY2018ReframedAnnual report
「Competition across sectors driven by diversified food preferences has become even more intense in the food service industry, amid surging raw material prices, ongoing hiring difficulties and rising labor costs, and a growing trend toward selective consumption that prioritizes quality, including food safety and consumer confidence.」
The explanation of risk has been expanded from the previous references to sluggish personal consumption and competition for customers to cover the competitive environment, including surging raw material prices, hiring difficulties, rising labor costs, selective consumption, and an emphasis on quality. - FY2018-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The operating environment surrounding the food service industry has become increasingly challenging due to intensifying competition with other sectors for customers, persistently high raw material prices, and higher personnel and logistics costs amid labor shortages.」
Competition for customers, persistently high raw material prices, and higher personnel and logistics costs amid labor shortages continue to be described as challenging conditions in the food service industry. - FY2018-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The operating environment surrounding the food service industry has become increasingly challenging due to intensifying competition with other sectors for customers, rising raw material prices, and higher personnel and logistics costs amid labor shortages.」
The challenging operating environment in the food service industry, including competition for customers, raw material prices, personnel costs, and rising logistics costs, continues to be described. - FY2018-Q1ReframedAnnual report
「The operating environment surrounding the food service industry has become increasingly challenging due to intensifying competition with other sectors for customers, rising raw material prices, and higher labor costs amid labor shortages.」
The risk is now described as a challenging operating environment, centered on intensifying competition with other sectors for customers and including rising costs and labor shortages, rather than the previous reference to sluggish personal consumption and diversified food preferences. - FY2017-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The food service industry has also faced sluggish personal consumption due to consumers’ preference for saving, while food preferences have diversified as lifestyles change and competition across sectors has intensified.」
Sluggish personal consumption, diversification of food preferences, and intensifying cross-sector competition continue to be described as conditions affecting the food service industry. - FY2017-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The food service industry has also faced sluggish personal consumption due to consumers’ preference for saving, while food preferences have diversified as lifestyles change and competition across sectors has intensified.」
Sluggish personal consumption, diversification of food preferences, and intensifying cross-sector competition continue to be described as conditions affecting the food service industry. - FY2017-Q1First statedAnnual report
「The food service industry has also faced sluggish personal consumption due to consumers’ preference for saving, while food preferences have diversified as lifestyles change and competition across sectors has intensified.」
Sluggish personal consumption, diversification of food preferences, and intensifying cross-sector competition are identified as external environmental risks.