Key Facts
• October 22, 2025: FamilyMart announced ‘Tearful Stickers’ as free resources.
• Stickers feature a crying onigiri character pleading, ‘Help me, please.’
• Introduced in October 2024 for near-expiry onigiri and bento products.
• April 2025 trial in 10 Tokyo stores showed a 4% purchase rate increase.
• April–September 2025: Food waste reduced by 5% compared to the previous year.
• Expanded designs include bread, meat, fish, and cake, totaling five types.
• Stickers available via FamilyMart’s website and in-store multi-copy machines.
• Targeted for use by retailers to promote food waste reduction.
• Sustainability head Hiroyuki Osawa hopes for adoption across industries.
Summary
FamilyMart has launched its ‘Tearful Stickers,’ featuring a crying onigiri character, as free resources to combat food waste. Initially introduced in October 2024 for near-expiry onigiri and bento products, the stickers have proven effective, increasing purchase rates by 4% during a trial in April 2025. From April to September 2025, food waste at FamilyMart stores decreased by 5% compared to the same period the previous year. The initiative now includes additional designs for bread, meat, fish, and cake, making a total of five sticker types. These resources are accessible via FamilyMart’s website and in-store multi-copy machines, aiming to encourage adoption by other retailers. Hiroyuki Osawa, head of sustainability at FamilyMart, expressed hopes for broader industry implementation to further reduce food waste.
