TOKYO – For some people, the blue, green and white striped socks hanging near the entrance of a FamilyMart convenience store may look more like an emergency purchase than a fashion statement.
Yet, the 390 yen (S$3) socks have become one of Japan’s best-known products at convenience stores, which are usually the go-to for snacks and drinks.
With 40 million pairs sold since 2021, they have helped FamilyMart reinvent itself as a lifestyle brand in the competitive “conbini” market.
Now, Japan’s second-largest convenience store chain is building on that fashion credential with a wider range of lifestyle items, including matching bandanas for pets and owners, in a push for growth beyond daily necessities.
It has also backed the strategy with branding initiatives including a recruitment campaign featuring pop star Lady Gaga.
The effort to cultivate a fashionable image is helping FamilyMart stand out as inflation-weary shoppers cut back on spending, drug stores eat into sales of household staples, and a shrinking population limits expansion opportunities in a market saturated with around 56,000 stores.
“FamilyMart has really upped its style game over the past year or two,” said Tatsuhiko Yuki, a 56-year-old taxi driver and regular customer.
Yuki describes FamilyMart as a destination for collectibles, having purchased 20 pairs of its striped socks, including limited-edition versions inspired by Nintendo game Animal…
