Foodservice

Japan fights food waste with discounted food lockers

Photo: Adobe Stock

January 7, 2026

Keikyu Corp and Alpha Locker System Co. introduced an automated locker system at Kanazawa-Bunko Station that provides discounted pastries that would otherwise be discarded, according to a report by Eco Business.

This locker allows local bakeries to stock surplus goods after closing hours. The items, which remain within their best-before dates, are sold at a 30% discount until the final train of the night. The units are unmanned and accept only cashless payments.

The pilot program aims to address Japan's significant food loss, which reached an estimated 4.64 million tons in fiscal 2023. While that figure is down from 9.8 million tons in 2000, officials say further reductions are necessary to meet climate targets. The government estimates food disposal generates more than 10 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

"Through this initiative, we are working to reduce food loss and CO2 emissions," Yokohama city officials said in a statement.

Keikyu Corp. expects the single station unit to prevent 1.5 tons of food waste annually. Seven similar lockers already operating in Yokohama are projected to cut a combined 12 tons of waste per year.

The initiative follows the 2019 Act on Promotion of Food Loss and Waste Reduction, which mandates local governments to coordinate with businesses on sustainability. Yokohama's success has prompted inquiries from other Japanese cities, including Fukuoka and Sapporo, as the country works toward a 2030 goal of halving household food waste.