As Population Decline and Aging Take Hold, “Community Hubs” in Local Living Areas Become Increasingly Important Consultations at Local Supermarkets’ “Health Consultation and Lifestyle Support Events” Have Increased by 1.3 Times Compared to the Previous Year

I-Field Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chuo Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture; Representative Director: Nobuki Futamura), which operates businesses focused on utilizing underutilized space in commercial facilities and supporting special events and promotions, has seen an increase in inquiries regarding “community-focused” events and promotions at local supermarkets.As population decline and an aging population make it increasingly difficult for local communities to maintain daily shopping and social interaction, there is a growing demand for initiatives that create reasons for customers to visit beyond just shopping—such as health consultations, lifestyle support events, and the dissemination of local information—in addition to traditional food and merchandise sales events.Among the inquiries the company receives regarding local supermarkets, requests for these “community-engagement” initiatives have increased by 1.3 times compared to the previous year.

[36.24 million people aged 65 and older; aging rate at 29.3%—"Community touchpoints" in local living areas are becoming increasingly important]

According to the Cabinet Office’s “Reiwa 7 White Paper on Aging Society,” as of October 1, 2024, Japan’s total population stood at 123.8 million, with 36.24 million people aged 65 and older, accounting for 29.3% of the total population.

Furthermore, according to future projections by the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research, Japan’s total population is expected to decline to 87 million by 2070, with the aging rate reaching 38.7 percent.

Amid ongoing population decline and aging, local communities face the challenge of maintaining daily shopping, transportation, and interaction among residents.

The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry also states that measures are needed to support “shopping-disadvantaged” individuals—those who lack sufficient access to daily shopping opportunities due to the weakening of distribution systems and transportation networks caused by population decline and the aging society.

[Inquiries Regarding “Health Consultation and Lifestyle Support Events” at Local Supermarkets Increase 1.3 Times Year-Over-Year]

As iField provides support for special events and promotions at commercial facilities nationwide, the nature of inquiries received from local supermarkets has been changing. Previously, inquiries focused primarily on boosting sales through food sales, merchandise promotions, and short-term marketing campaigns.

However, in recent years, there has been an increase in inquiries aimed at building community connections, such as “We want to create reasons for customers to visit beyond just shopping,” “We want to strengthen our relationships with local residents,” and “We want to create a place where older adults can feel comfortable dropping by.”

Among the inquiries the company receives regarding local supermarkets, “community engagement”-type consultations—including health consultations, dissemination of local information, lifestyle support events, and government-related awareness campaigns—have increased by 1.3 times compared to the previous year.

Facility managers have noted that

“It’s becoming difficult to maintain customer visit frequency through shopping alone,”

“We need initiatives to increase our connections with local residents,”

“We want to make this a place where older adults can feel comfortable stopping by,”

“We want to use vacant space not only to generate revenue but also to contribute to the community,”

These are some of the comments we’ve received.

These trends reveal that local supermarkets are expanding their role from “places to sell goods” to “places where people gather.”

[About I-Field Co., Ltd.]

I-Field supports the utilization of underutilized spaces in commercial facilities nationwide.

Through event planning, matching vendors with venues, and coordinating implementation, we serve as a bridge connecting facilities, vendors, and local residents.

The events held are not limited to food and merchandise sales.

There is a growing trend toward events centered on themes relevant to daily life, such as health screenings, telecommunications and financial counseling sessions, public awareness campaigns by government agencies, limited-time pop-up shops by local businesses, and hands-on experiential events.

For facilities, this leads to the effective use of underutilized space and the creation of new reasons for visitors to come.

For vendors, this leads to the acquisition of new sales channels and customer touchpoints.

For local residents, it provides convenient opportunities to seek advice, participate in hands-on activities, and gather information while out shopping.

At iField, we view commercial facilities not merely as “sales floors,” but as places that foster connections with the local community, and we support efforts to enhance their value.

[Future Developments]

Going forward, as Japan’s population continues to decline and age, maintaining local amenities and fostering community formation will become increasingly important.

In this context, local supermarkets and commercial facilities—which people visit on a daily basis—are expected to expand their roles beyond mere shopping, serving as venues for community interaction, information sharing, and daily life support.

At iField, we will continue to collect and analyze case studies of commercial facility utilization nationwide and, under the theme of “Reimagining Community Connections,” continue to share insights on the new possibilities for local supermarkets.

We will also advance initiatives regarding the role that commercial facilities play as local infrastructure, with a view to collaborating with local governments, facility operators, and tenant businesses.

If you would like more detailed information regarding this matter, we welcome inquiries from members of the media at any time, so please feel free to contact us.

[Company Overview]

Name: I-Field Co., Ltd.

Address: 7F KC Building, 3-4-7 Kawaramachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka 541-0048

Representative: Nobuki Futamura, Representative Director

Business Activities: Event support services for commercial facilities / Support services for utilizing underutilized spaces /

　　　　　 Space Consulting Services

URL: https://i-fieldnet.com/

[Media Inquiries and Contact Information]

Company Name: I-Field Co., Ltd.

Contact: Saika Shiba

Phone: 06-4707-7780

Email: marketing@i-fieldnet.com