Yes, today we'd like to discuss how to use convenience store restrooms.
I'm sure you've all been grateful that a convenience store had a restroom available, right?
Yes, we have.
So, when you use a convenience store restroom, do you buy something as a token of thanks, or do you use it without buying anything?
Trill looked into this for us. Here it is.
About 70% of people said they make a purchase, while a certain number, nearly 30%, said they do not.
But they still answered that they use the restroom.
Let's take a look at the various opinions.
Here they are.
First, someone in their 40s who said they make a purchase.
I would feel guilty just using the restroom.
Since I'm using their facilities, I always buy at least a cheap snack.
And I don't want the staff looking at me like I'm just there to use the toilet.
That's why they chose to make a purchase.
On the other hand, those who don't buy anything.
A woman in her 20s said a 100 yen purchase might actually be an inconvenience for the staff.
Oh.
Then, a man in his 70s.
I consider it a free service provided by the convenience store.
And furthermore, a man in his 60s.
There was an opinion that they say thank you when borrowing it and when leaving the store, but don't buy anything.
Well, there are many views, but what about you all?
I'm sure you've used a convenience store restroom before, but...
What is your mindset?
Or do you buy something or not?
How do you handle it?
Yes.
I have borrowed a restroom without making a purchase.
However, in those cases, for instance, some stores these days have signs saying, please feel free to use it.
But if they don't, I ask the staff, excuse me, may I use your restroom?
And if they say it's fine, I make an effort to use it without buying anything.
Um hum, when you're with your child.
Right, when my kids were little and suddenly said they had to go, we would sometimes rely on a convenience store, but I feel that rather than leaving empty-handed, I'd buy something to express my gratitude.
Yeah, that's true, isn't it?
Well, everyone, I'm sure you have various opinions, but after our meeting today, I've really put myself in the shoes of those who work at convenience stores.
Sorry about that.
If I start sounding too earnest, please correct me.
Yes.
So, first, let's look at three points.
To start with, when did convenience stores actually begin offering restroom services?
We asked Lawson.
Originally, the restrooms were strictly in the backyard for employees to use, so they were located in the back.
Occasionally, they would let customers use them if asked, but basically, they were in the back.
Then, from 1997 onwards, it seems there were voices wanting to use them at any time.
From that point on, it led to a movement of declaring restrooms open to the public and installing them inside the stores.
Now, I would like to look in detail at the actual usage of the convenience store restrooms we use every day.
Here it is.
When we look into the actual usage of these convenience store restrooms, well, there are about 14,000 stores nationwide.
Daily restroom usage, as of last November, is reportedly about 1 million people.
Oh.
So, I want you to think about this.
The amount of toilet paper consumed annually.
It's quite a lot.
It's a lot, isn't it?
It's amazing, isn't it?
In a word, you might not be able to fathom it.
I'll show you the answer.
This.
It's about 10 million rolls.
Even 1,000 rolls would be surprising.
But this is about 10 million rolls.
So, our program looked into it.
Let's assume you buy 8 rolls of toilet paper.
Let's say it costs about 500 yen.
By simple calculation, that comes to 640 million yen.
Naturally, this cost falls on the store's side.
We must be aware of that.
And furthermore, since it's a restroom, there are burdens other than toilet paper.
Water bills, electricity bills, cleaning, and inspections.
Who does all this?
It's the staff members, isn't it?
So, I want you to keep in mind that there are burdens in various ways.
On the other hand, Lawson says that while customers aren't required to make a purchase,
doing so allows them to dedicate a portion of those earnings to the maintenance and upkeep of the restrooms.
And in the midst of this, a new movement is emerging.
This is a case from Yokohama, where the city is teaming up with convenience stores to reduce the burden on both sides.
Yeah.
Since last May, they have been providing subsidies ranging from 78,000 to 96,000 yen per store annually.
You might wonder why they're targeting these stores, but the goal is to turn them into public restrooms.
This is because they are easy to access, and the city wants to address the shortage of public toilets.
And as for why they focused on convenience stores, here is the reason.
Building new facilities can cost tens of millions of yen.
Given the location circumstances in Yokohama, preparing a sufficient number of them would cost as much as building a whole house.
That is why they want to make effective use of existing restrooms.
Yeah.
So, we've looked at the issue of restrooms, but let's wrap up by looking at the convenience store services we take for granted.
Yes.
First, there are the trash cans.
We just assume they'll be there, right?
But these convenience store trash cans, there is a trend now of moving them from outside to inside the stores.
That's because many people have been disposing of their household trash there.
Then there are ashtrays, which we see less of lately, though their placement is up to each store.
Some stores have decided not to provide them at all, out of consideration for passive smoking and the environment.
Then there are the parking lots.
People park there without using the store.
That causes a lot of trouble, doesn't it?
Especially with the trash cans, it's just so common that they're there.
I had completely forgotten that this is actually provided as a service.
What do you think?
Yeah, indeed.
We shouldn't just take convenience for granted.
We need to be mindful that so much time and effort from many different people goes into it, and keep that in mind when we use convenience stores.
That's right.
Experts are saying the same thing.
In Japan, we've come to take it for granted that we'll be allowed to use them.
We need to consider the risk that they might stop letting people use them.
Yeah.
When you go abroad, it's very rare for shops to let you use their restrooms, so we have to be aware that Japan is special in that regard.
We should always make sure to say thank you.
Yes.
Thank you.
Thank you.






































Thank you.