Lawson opens his first “konbini” attended by Avatares

The chain of “konbini” or convenience stores Lawson Inc. opened its first “futuristic store” in Tokyo staffed by “avatars” remotely controlled by employees making it possible for even those with mobility issues to enter the workforce.

The chain’s first “Green Lawson,” located in Tokyo’s Toshima district, promotes an eco-friendly lifestyle by eliminating the sale of plastic bags and discontinuing the supply of disposable forks and straws to customers from of January 10.

With the exception of bill and receipt payment, these remotely controlled avatars serve customers via monitors installed near self-checkout counters and in product aisles.

Employee “avatars” are called Aoi (female avatar) or Sorato (male avatar), anime-style names developed in collaboration with Japanese avatar development company Avita Inc.

To reduce food waste, the Green Lawson store will be stocking more frozen boxed lunches that last longer than room temperature or refrigerated items.

The company is also developing a make-to-order food service and plans to collect unnecessary paper bags from customers to reuse as shopping bags.

Sadanobu Takemasu, President of Lawson Inc., commented that “the company aims to open 100 such stores by 2025, hoping to promote carbon neutrality throughout the company and implementing measures that have proven successful in other Lawson stores.”