Japan’s Rakuten, Walmart’s Seiyu to open logistics site as online sales jump


FE Team | Published: January 16, 2020 12:02:54 | Updated: January 18, 2020 10:47:14


A man walks under a logo of Rakuten Inc during a news conference in Tokyo February 14, 2014. REUTERS/Yuya Shino

Japanese online retailer Rakuten and Walmart’s Seiyu said they plan to open a new logistics site in Yokohama later this year to deal with growing sales from their joint online supermarket business.

Rakuten Seiyu Netsuper’s sales between late October through the end of December rose 30 per cent from a year earlier, the companies said in a joint statement on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Internet grocery shopping has been slow to take off in Japan, where consumers are accustomed to shopping daily for fresh produce.

But Seiyu and bigger rival Aeon Co expect change ahead due to growing numbers of working women, and advancements in technology and logistics networks.

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