Analyzing Retail and Distribution Summer Sales Promotion Strategies with the Next-Generation Sales Promotion Support AI Tool "Shufoo!AI"

TOPPAN Group's ONE COMPATH Inc. (One Compass) analyzed summer sales promotion strategies for the retail and distribution industries using the next-generation sales promotion support AI tool "Shufoo!AI"(※1). The analysis revealed a shift in the sales promotion calendar, with September flyer themes moving from "Full Autumn" to "Preparing for Autumn" due to the impact of rising temperatures, indicating that the sales period for summer items is expected to lengthen this summer as well. Furthermore, flyer analysis of summer events such as "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" (Midsummer Day of the Ox) and "Yakiniku Day" (Yakiniku Day) revealed that declining wholesale prices of goods and the arrangement of days of the week significantly influence the scale of sales promotions.

(※1) Information on Shufoo!AI can be found here.

≪Sales Promotion Strategy Analysis Using Shufoo!AI≫

Impact on the Retail and Distribution Industries due to Increasing Biseasonality and Lengthening Summer

Analyzing Changes in "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" Promotions from Eel Price Trends

"Yakiniku Day (August 29th)" Falls on a Weekend for the Second Consecutive Year. Analyzing the Scale of Promotions Influenced by Day-of-Week Arrangement

Column: AI Data Commentary by Professor Moriya

・"Autumn Sales" Postponed Due to Prolonged Perceived Summer. Summer Goods Sales Period Expected to Extend This Summer

Impact on the Retail and Distribution Industries due to Increasing Biseasonality and Lengthening Summer

In recent years, the rise in average temperatures associated with global warming has led to a noticeable extension of the perceived summer and a subsequent delay in the arrival of autumn. "Theme Analysis" revealed that while the publication period for promotions themed "Summer" has been extending compared to the previous year, the launch of "Autumn" themes has been postponed.

As a prolonged period of extreme heat and lingering summer heat is expected again this summer, flyer publication trends are anticipated to follow a similar pattern to last year, with an expected increase in demand and sales period for summer goods.

・"Biseasonality" Due to Climate Change Affects August-September Flyer Titles

Subsequently, "Flyer Analysis" examined flyer creatives distributed during the summer (August 1st-31st) and autumn (September 1st-31st) over the past three years (2023-2025). Changes were observed in flyer titles.

While August flyer themes in 2023 were dominated by titles evoking seasonal milestones and the end of summer, such as "New School Term," "Summer Festival," and "End of Summer," and in 2024 by "Last Sprint of Summer Vacation," "After Obon," and "Cooling Festival," the most recent year, 2025, shows a shift towards keywords that address the persistent heat in late August, such as "Beat Summer Fatigue," "Lingering Heat," and "Cooling Off." This indicates that flyer appeal content is being optimized from "seasonal anticipation" to "immediate heat countermeasures" in response to climate fluctuations.

Furthermore, a structural change is occurring in September flyer themes as well.

In 2023, expressions assuming "mid-autumn" in September, such as "Autumn's XX," were prevalent, followed by "Autumn Arrival," "New Autumn Discoveries," and "Autumn Flavor Market" in 2024. However, in 2025, there is a growing trend towards flyer themes that anticipate autumn's arrival, such as "Anticipating Autumn," "Early Autumn," and "Preparing for Autumn."

These delays in flyer themes are thought to be due to a roughly one-month discrepancy between the perceived season and the calendar, indicating changes in sales promotion plans for retail and distribution amidst the progression of practical biseasonality between summer and winter.

Analyzing Changes in "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" Promotions from Eel Price Trends

According to daily reports and market statistical information from the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market (※2), the average monthly wholesale price of eels shows a downward trend. Influenced by recent abundant catches, prices in the summer of 2025 (July-September) have fallen by approximately 300 to 700 yen compared to previous years, and the average wholesale price as of April 2026 has also significantly decreased compared to previous years.

The declining price of eels is impacting sales promotions in the retail and distribution industries. The number of companies featuring "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" as a flyer theme in July has steadily increased year by year: 86 companies in 2023, 90 in 2024, and 103 in 2025.

If the trend of declining eel prices continues, the "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" sales campaign in 2026 is also expected to be robust.

Next, based on Shufoo!AI's co-listing analysis, we compared the number of listings for five items (clams, live clams, mitsuba, powdered sansho pepper, chawanmushi) that are simultaneously featured in flyers with "broiled eel" between 2023 and 2025, when the price difference for eels widened significantly.

The analysis showed a substantial increase in the number of listings for four items excluding "mitsuba," indicating that related product promotions are also becoming more active in conjunction with the "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" boom.

"Live clams" recorded a particularly high growth rate, approximately 1.7 times higher than in 2023. As has been traditionally said, "Doyo unagi" (eel for Doyo no Ushi no Hi) and "Doyo shijimi" (clams for Doyo no Ushi no Hi), it is a deeply rooted Japanese dietary habit for preventing summer fatigue.

These findings suggest that the declining price of eels is influencing not only promotion themes but also the number of related products listed in flyers.

(※2) Reference: Tokyo Central Wholesale Market Statistical Information / Market Transaction Information

"Yakiniku Day (August 29th)" Falls on a Weekend for the Second Consecutive Year. Analyzing the Scale of Promotions Influenced by Day-of-Week Arrangement

Analyzing "Yakiniku Day" reveals that the scale of promotions is heavily influenced by the arrangement of days of the week.

In 2025, "Yakiniku Day" falling on a Friday, a weekend day, was a major factor, with approximately twice as many companies as in previous years developing flyers with this theme, leading to a significant expansion in the scale of promotions.

August 29th this year falls on a Saturday, continuing the trend of falling on a weekend from last year. Coupled with the increased demand for stamina-boosting ingredients as a countermeasure against summer fatigue, it is expected to be a popular event.

Summary: Is the Prolonged Summer, Along with International Affairs and Energy Price Fluctuations, Affecting Promotion Themes?

The "prolonged summer" due to recent climate change is having a significant impact on consumer psychology and the 52-week MD (sales promotion calendar) for retail promotions. While Japanese culture values the seasonal feel of the four seasons, the extended summer can lead to a sense of monotony or lack of change in flyer promotions, potentially becoming a concern for promotion managers.

From a promotional perspective, this "prolonged summer" makes it crucial to devise "promotion themes" that can capture consumer interest without causing fatigue. The increase in themes such as "Anticipating Autumn" and "Preparing for Autumn" amidst the still-harsh lingering heat, as well as themes related to Yakiniku Day, stamina, summer fatigue countermeasures, and disaster preparedness, are considered factors contributing to this.

Furthermore, recent market trends, such as "raw material shortages" and "price increases" due to the situation in the Middle East, cannot be ignored. For large chain stores in particular, products with unstable supply are likely to be excluded from flyers. For price increases in specific product categories, it is urgent to select alternative "featured items."

With a long summer and anticipated instability in product supply this summer, the key to maximizing the results of promotional activities may lie in setting promotional angles (themes) that keep consumers engaged, effectively incorporating distribution-led products such as "private brands (PB)" and "prepared foods."

About Shufoo!AI

Utilizing 365 days of flyer data from "Shufoo!," Japan's largest electronic flyer service, and user data nationwide, Shufoo!AI analyzes flyer images by decomposing and structuring them with AI and OCR, enabling the prediction of effectiveness and the construction of promotional generative AI models.

URL https://www.shufoo.net/biz/solution/shufoo-ai/

About Shufoo!

Shufoo! is one of Japan's largest electronic flyer services, with 16 million monthly users (as of June 2026, including access via provided ASP) and over 120,000 participating stores nationwide. It offers free access to flyers from supermarkets, home centers, electronics stores, drugstores, and more across Japan. It is packed with information to make daily shopping convenient and affordable, including recommended store products, time sales, bargain information, coupons and discount days, and recipe searches. It can be used on various devices, including smartphones, PCs, and tablets. TOPPAN Co., Ltd. began operating it in August 2001, and as of April 1, 2019, it has been operated by ONE COMPATH Inc., a TOPPAN Group company.

URL https://www.shufoo.net

About ONE COMPATH Inc.

Location: TOPPAN Shibaura Building, 3-19-26 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Established: January 20, 1997

Capital: 100 million yen

Representative: Rei Hayakawa, President and CEO

Number of Employees: 130 (as of April 2026)

URL: https://onecompath.com

Service Offerings: As a "One Mile Innovation Company," we offer services that support daily life centered around Mapion, Shufoo!, and aruku&, as well as marketing support utilizing AI and proprietary data.

* Product and service names mentioned in this press release are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

* The content described in this press release is current as of the date of announcement. It is subject to change without notice.