The food wholesaling industry is concerned about the impact of the revised logistics special designation, which takes effect in April 2027, on the practice of shippers handling unloading. Although the measure is intended to regulate unreasonable demands by consignees, it could affect operations at distribution sites and the allocation of costs.
The food wholesaling industry is focused on the regulation, under the revised logistics special designation taking effect in April 2027, of unreasonable conduct by consignees that involves demanding unloading. Concerns have been raised that transactions between shippers and consignees could lead to a shift in unloading responsibilities toward consignees.
The Japan Fair Trade Commission has published specific examples of unreasonable conduct by consignees in the amended notification. It considers requiring unloading that is not included in the contract to be provided through a transport operator, while making a specified shipper bear the cost, to constitute a request for the provision of an unjust economic benefit. As a result, the allocation of cargo-handling costs and the interpretation of the contractual scope are expected to become points of contention.
The Japan Processed Foods Wholesalers Association (日食協) maintains that drivers' primary responsibility is delivery and that unloading should be handled under a separate contract for separate compensation, while questioning the direction of making unloading the consignee's responsibility. It argues that manufacturers should resolve the issue through cargo-handling contracts and payment of the associated compensation.
The wholesale industry previously compiled guidelines for reducing waiting time and cargo handling, and has worked to clarify the relationship between shippers and cargo handling. The amended notification could overturn established commercial practices, making it necessary to deepen discussions aimed at avoiding confusion at logistics sites.