The key themes of this summer’s gift-giving season are “energy saving” and “bonds,” with family and friends following the aftereffects of the March 11, 2011, disaster and the subsequent nuclear crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

On Wednesday, many department stores set up special service counters for summer gifts, kicking off the sales battle for the season.

Reflecting the nation’s anxiety over the possibility of power shortages this summer, department stores have added various products to their summer gift lineups that can contribute to energy-saving efforts.

The popularity of products to strengthen relationships with family and friends, which grew after the Great East Japan Earthquake, is also continuing this season, department stores said. This trend is influencing consumers’ gift choices as well as the choice of recipients for such gifts.

New summer product selection

Department stores have introduced foods and other goods aimed at helping people cool off from the summer heat, which may be exacerbated if power shortages take place.

Sogo & Seibu Co. offers food to provide relief from summer fatigue, such as organically grown pickled plums, on the first pages of its summer gift brochure. The chain operator said it has placed more emphasis this year on selling electric and folding fans at its Seibu and Sogo department stores.

Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., the operator of Isetan and Mitsukoshi department stores, has labeled its energy-saving and eco-friendly products “green gifts.”

These items include bedding made of materials to give users a cool sensation, and washbasins. An employee of the chain operator in charge of summer gifts said, “We’ve noticed customers’ increasing awareness of the environment based on their choices of summer gifts.”

The Great East Japan Earthquake has also impacted who people choose to give gifts to this summer.

People prefer friends, families and relatives over bosses, colleagues and clients, according to Takashimaya Co., the operator of Takashimaya department stores.

“Nowadays, instead of sending standard gifts such as beer and sweets, customers carefully choose gifts and send different items to each recipient,” a Takashimaya official said.

Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings said it has increased its summer selection of toys and other items that family members can use together, such as construction kits for robots and jigsaw puzzles.

Department stores said they expect this year’s summer gift sales to remain unchanged from the previous year. The demand for summer gifts for companies is trending downward, but the expected drop in sales may be offset by the increased demand for gifts for individuals, the department stores said.

Convenience stores join in

Convenience stores and supermarkets are also ambitiously participating in this year’s summer gift sales.

They are targeting consumers who do not mind where they buy gifts, such as gift-givers who do not really care if a gift is wrapped in a department store’s special paper. Convenience stores and supermarkets plan to appeal to such customers with low prices and original summer gift boxes.

Many convenience store chains will discount their summer gifts by 5 percent to 10 percent for those buying in bulk and placing advance orders during a certain period. Seiyu GK has increased the number of summer gifts with 10 percent to 50 percent discounts from the retail price suggested by manufacturers.

Lawson, Inc. began selling its own original summer gift products for the first time this year, including an assortment of thin noodles and gelatin desserts.

By Tomoko Hatakeyama

(Yomiuri Shimbun)