FamilyMart, one of Japan's largest convenience store chains, has redesigned its discount stickers to feature wide-eyed, teary characters pleading "please help me" in a bid to reduce food waste.The campaign, which launched nationwide in March 2025, replaces standard markdown labels with emotionally evocative designs aimed at encouraging shoppers to purchase items nearing their expiration dates. The stickers feature cartoon illustrations of food items with imploring expressions. During a pilot, the initiative demonstrated a 5% increase in purchase rates of marked-down items compared to conventional discount labels. That may seem like a modest increase, but across FamilyMart's network, it translates to an estimated annual reduction of approximately 3,000 metric tons of food waste.The chain tested multiple sticker designs, selecting illustrations that conveyed both empathy and the urgency of food waste reduction. Customer feedback highlighted how the tearful characters made them want to help. FamilyMart has since expanded the initiative, introducing complementary on-screen animations at checkout registers that display grateful, smiling characters thanking shoppers for choosing discounted items. In October 2025, the company made the tearful character designs available free of charge to any food retailer, extending the campaign's reach beyond its own stores. It also added illustrations for bread, meat, fish and cake to the original lineup.TREND BITEFamilyMart's tearful stickers demonstrate how brands can cut through information overload with communication that's immediate, visual and emotionally direct. Rather than relying on factual appeals or complex sustainability messaging, the campaign speaks in the vernacular of emoji culture and social media using simple, expressive characters to deliver an instant emotional hook.The approach reflects a broader shift toward informal information delivery that prioritizes impact and memorability over traditional corporate communication. As consumers grow numb to standard discount signage and environmental appeals, this playful yet purposeful design language proves more effective at driving behavioral change, suggesting that the most persuasive messages may be those that feel less like marketing and more like a quick, authentic plea.
