On Monday, the operator of the Japanese convenience store chain Ministop announced that a total of 23 stores in seven prefectures had been selling in-store-cooked rice balls, bento boxes and various other items with falsified expiry dates. The company has subsequently suspended sales of in-store-cooked products in some 1,600 stores until a thorough investigation has been completed, and improvement measures have been put in place.
Ministop Apologizes Following Fake Expiry Dates Scandal
Ministop Co. — a subsidiary of Japanese retail giant Aeon Co. — discovered that some of the shop’s workers extended expiry dates by delaying labels for one to two hours after items were prepared in the kitchen. Other staff members reportedly removed expiry dates and replaced them with false ones. So far, no health issues have been reported. The company will continue to sell products made at the factory.
“We sincerely apologize to customers who purchased handmade onigiri and bento boxes, as well as other concerned parties, for the significant inconvenience caused,” Ministop said in a statement. The company initially halted production of rice balls and bento boxes cooked in-store on August 9. However, similar irregularities were found in other deli items, leading to the suspension of all in-house cooked items on Monday.
Eleven of the stores involved in the scandal are located in Osaka Prefecture, while three are in Kyoto. The other nine are in Tokyo (2), Saitama (2), Aichi (2), Hyogo (2) and Fukuoka (1) prefectures. “What, that many…!?” posted one X user. “I can’t believe the company was relabeling expiry dates. Not just in-store-prepared items but even side dishes, that’s a bit too scary…!”
About Ministop
Established in 1980, Ministop is one of Japan’s big five convenience stores, along with 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson and Daily Yamazaki. Unlike most other konbini here, Ministop stores feature a kitchen that prepares sandwiches, snacks and bento boxes on demand. The shops also have seating areas where customers can sit down and eat immediately. The Ministop menu varies according to season and periodical promotions.
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Updated On August 19, 2025
