Home   >   News   >   Duty-free Seven Eleven stores for tourists begin

Duty-free Seven Eleven stores for tourists begin

By on December 2, 2014

According to a Nikkei article on Nov. 29, starting in December, tourists will be exempted from payment of 8% consumption tax at Seven Eleven shops near train stations at Tokyo Asakusa Kaminarimon and Kyoto, Saiin Minami ten.  These shops are located at popular tourist spots.

Between now and 2015, the company sees ramping up the number of duty-free stores to 1,000. For tax to be waived, tourists have to present their passport at the cashier.

The move is expected to spur spending by tourists which on average is 150,000 yen per tourist with Chinese tourists spending more (¥230,000 on average).

It was projected that for every 8 tourists who visit the country, annual spending per resident will increase.

Japan is seeing a spike in the number of tourists from Southeast Asia where Seven Eleven has a wide presence.
Major department stores Isetan and Mitsukoshi attribute the rapid growth in sales to tourist shoppers.

Purchases made by tourists at Mitsukoshi Ginza in October account for 15% of its overall sales, a sharp rise by 8% compared to the months between April and September.

More duty free fashion houses, boutiques and stores are expected to join the scheme next year.

About Ted Tanaka