The heartwarming impact of convenience store donation boxes in Japan

Little-known konbini feature reveals new insights into the top three chains.

In Japan, the small donation boxes placed near convenience store registers often go unnoticed by customers, and those who do contribute to them may not give a lot of thought to where the money goes. However, every coin or note that’s put into the box is a small act of generosity that has a surprisingly significant impact, with each chain donating to different causes to help benefit various sectors of society.

Lawson, for example, recently announced a scholarship program for single-parent families, offering 30,000 yen (US$210.35) per month for one year to 400 students. That’s a generous subsidy for a lot of people, but what’s really remarkable is the fact that the funding for this program comes from the money collected in the chain’s donation boxes. This goes to show how these small donations can add up, working to support meaningful initiatives and change people’s lives in the long run.

Lawson isn’t the only chain to use its charity boxes to support social causes, as Japan’s two other top chains, 7-Eleven and Family Mart, also have boxes by their registers, and each of them has their own charitable focus.

• 7-Eleven prioritises environmental conservation efforts, such as planting trees and maintaining green spaces in local communities under initiatives like “Seven’s Forest”.
• Lawson focuses on children’s education and welfare, including scholarships and “school greening” projects.
• Family Mart supports both domestic and international programs, such as child hunger relief through partnerships with organisations like Save the Children and the United Nations food aid agency.

In order to prove how effective their donation boxes are, all three companies publicly disclose their fundraising totals and how the funds are allocated. Results for the 2024 fiscal year reveal that out of the three chains, 7-Eleven raised the most funds, followed by Lawson and then Family Mart.

• 7-Eleven raised 516 million yen ($3.6 million)
• Lawson raised 407 million yen
• Family Mart raised 399 million yen

In terms of the latest month’s totals, as of this writing, 7-Eleven is still on top, followed by Family Mart and then Lawson.

• 7-Eleven raised 39.2 million yen ($274,580) in March 2025
• Family Mart raised 30 million yen in February 2025
• Lawson raised 23.4 million yen in February 2025

According to the reports, donation amounts regularly exceed 20 million yen per month, resulting in millions of dollars annually, showing the power that customers have to change the world through small acts of kindness at their local konbini.

While the future impact of these donations remains tenuous, as the rise of cashless payments has seen contributions decline in recent years, the power remains in the hands of customers. So next time you’re at a convenience store in Japan, consider dropping a note or a coin into the donation box — your spare change can make a positive change to someone’s future.

Related: 7-Eleven fundraising information, Lawson fundraising information, Family Mart fundraising information
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