Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Michael is co-founder and partner at JapanConsuming.

JapanConsuming is a specialist research firm producing intelligence on Japanese retail and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, JapanConsuming has become the leading provider of insights on Japanese retailers and consumer trends to retailers, brands, government agencies and investors. As well as a highly regarded monthly report on the market, JapanConsuming produces in-depth reports and seminars on retail sectors and consumer trends, as well as telephone consulting/meetings with investors. 

All of JapanConsuming's team are bilingual and bi-cultural, and the company's research sources are:

Direct meetings with retailers, wholesalers, distributors, trade body staff, govt., marketing firms, academics etc.
Govt. data
Trade association data
Trade Press across all consumer sectors
Unique Network of buyers/managers/marketing staff at retail, as well as wholesalers and trading firms.
Editors/Journalists at publishing houses and PR/Ad firms.


JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

Michael Causton set up and ran a consumer distribution business in Tokyo for 10 years and developed this into a business responsible for annual imports to Japan of several billion Yen, at the same time building up an inside knowledge of how Japanese distribution works and developing a network of contacts across the industry. Seeing the lack of quality market intelligence on Japanese markets, he co-founded JapanConsuming in 2000. He divides his time between Japan and Europe/US consulting for companies, governments and investors, including providing talks, seminars, and webinars as well as writing reports and books.

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

Matsukiyo and Cocokara Fine Tie to Shake up Drugstore Sector

AIN HOLDINGS Placement - Good Track Record and Extended Trading Helps

A Winner, but All in the Price Now...we Think

Real Insight on Japanese Consumer Markets

JapanConsuming

JapanConsuming is a specialist research firm producing intelligence on Japanese retail and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, JapanConsuming has become the leading provider of insights on Japanese retailers and consumer trends to retailers, brands, government agencies and investors. As well as a highly regarded monthly report on the market, JapanConsuming produces in-depth reports on retail sectors, seminars on key trends and telephone consulting to investors on trends and retailers.

JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Japan Consumer staples / Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul class=""><li>The drugstore sector is the one Japanese retail sector to show consistent growth over the past decade. </li><li>It is now the leading channel for mass market cosmetics, health and medical supplies, and is fast becoming an important channel for all types of foods, with some chains already selling enough food to qualify as top 20 supermarkets. </li><li>Drugstores already own close to a 40% share in cosmetics. </li><li>With massive consolidation in the sector, leading chains are looking for ways to differentiate their ranges and add value, generating higher returns as a result.</li><li>The sector still has 1000s of small independent stores which will lose share to the big four buying groups over time.</li><li>Plenty of room for expansion still for all the leading chains.</li><li>Their success means significant competition for other retail sectors, especially convenience stores.</li></ul>

The drugstore sector is the one Japanese retail sector to show consistent growth over the past decade. It is now the leading channel for mass market cosmetics, health and medical supplies, and is fast becoming an important channel for all types of foods, with some chains already selling enough food to qualify as top 20 supermarkets. Drugstores already own close to a 40% share in cosmetics. With massive consolidation in the sector, leading chains are looking for ways to differentiate their ranges and add value, generating higher returns as a result.The sector still has 1000s of small independent stores which will lose share to the big four buying groups over time.Plenty of room for expansion still for all the leading chains.Their success means significant competition for other retail sectors, especially convenience stores.

Drugstores in Japan: Still Plenty of Growth Ahead