FamilyMart makes “Teary-Eyed Stickers” design free to combat food waste

Convenience store chain FamilyMart Co., Ltd. has made the design for its successful “Namida-me Seal” (Teary-Eyed Sticker) available as a free asset. The company wants to encourage a society-wide effort to tackle food waste with other businesses.

The sticker is a unique communication tool used on discounted food items such as onigiri rice balls and bento boxes that are approaching their sell-by date. It features a character with teary eyes alongside the message “Help me,” appealing directly to customers’ empathy. This approach reframes the purchase of discounted goods as an act of rescue, thereby lowering the psychological barrier some consumers feel when buying marked-down products.

Customer feedback has affirmed this effect. One shopper noted, “I was embarrassed to buy discounted items, but I can buy them if I think of it as helping.” FamilyMart also confirmed the sticker’s effectiveness through data.

An initial trial in October 2024 showed a higher purchase rate compared to conventional discount labels. Following a nationwide rollout in March 2025, a verification test in 10 Tokyo stores in April 2025 recorded a four-percentage-point increase in the purchase rate of targeted items, with some stores seeing a rise of over 10 points. The company also reported that overall food waste in its stores decreased by approximately 5% year-on-year between April and September 2025.

To encourage wider adoption, FamilyMart has now released the sticker’s design for any business or organisation to use free of charge. In addition to the original design, four new versions have been created for specific food categories: bread, meat, fish and cakes. The assets are available for download from the sustainability section of the company’s official website.

FamilyMart’s goal is to foster a collaborative movement where consumers, businesses and local communities work together to eliminate food waste. The company stated it will explore partnerships with restaurants, retailers and local authorities to promote the sticker as an accessible tool for all. Several local businesses in Tokyo’s Meguro ward, including the Meguro City Hall restaurant and local welfare shops, have already begun using the new designs.