Japan’s food ministry will expand a pilot programme that aims to increase consumption of domestic agricultural produce as early as this year.
The scheme, Food Action Nippon, uses reward points to encourage consumers to buy food products made in Japan.
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Food Action Nippon aims to improve the nation’s self-sufficiency and was launched in February last year at 12 large supermarkets in greater Tokyo. Sales of products that offer reward points climbed 19%, according to the ministry.
The ministry said retailers would bear a greater portion of the costs. However they stand to reap benefits in the form of increased sales of domestic products, which are usually more expensive than imports.
