Japanese convenience store chain Ministop is embroiled in a food safety scandal after an internal investigation revealed 25 stores across the country had been altering expiration dates on prepared foods, including rice balls and boxed meals. Some employees admitted the practice had been ongoing for as long as three years.
According to NHK reports, the fraud was first discovered in some stores where employees were found falsifying the shelf-life dates of freshly made items like onigiri and bento boxes. Ministop launched a company-wide probe and announced on September 1 that 25 stores had been confirmed to be involved in the misconduct.
The affected stores are located in seven prefectures, including Tokyo, Osaka, Saitama, Aichi, Kyoto, Hyogo, and Fukuoka. The company's headquarters has formally apologized for the incident.
The investigation found employees at these stores had been deliberately extending the expiration dates of various food products by up to 14 hours. According to employee testimonies, the practice began approximately three years ago, motivated by desires to reduce food waste and cut operational costs. One employee explained that "preparing morning dishes in advance during quieter hours was more convenient." Many staff members revealed they were following instructions from store managers.
Ministop has suspended sales of all prepared food items and initiated an emergency investigation. Company President Masatsugu Hotta stated they "cannot continue selling products whose safety cannot be guaranteed." The company said it is studying when these items might return to shelves, while noting there have been no reports of health issues among consumers so far.
The scandal has raised serious concerns about food safety practices within Japan's convenience store industry, particularly regarding the management of freshly prepared items.
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