Portable gas-burning stoves and portable gas canisters for the home have been selling well amid the coronavirus pandemic. This has apparently been attributed to the increase in the number of people staying home to eat rather than going out.
More people will likely eat nabe hot pot meals more frequently at home as restaurants face increasingly stricter operation regulations.
-- Nesting consumption
Kohnan Shoji Co., a major hardware store operator, saw its sales of portable gas-burning stoves and portable gas canisters increase by 1.3 times from March to November 2020 compared to the same period in 2019.
The company has expanded the floor space selling these items by 1.5 times at its main stores in anticipation of more people going camping or doing other activities to avoid the Three Cs -- closed spaces, crowded places and close-contact settings. Kohnan Shoji is also preparing for "nesting consumption" as more people refrain from going out.
"There will be even more purchases made by those who will not eat out [this winter]," a spokesperson at the company said.
According to an online survey conducted by the Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union in November 2020, 43% of its respondents said they refrained from eating out to prevent the spread of infection.
Although the percentage is lower compared to the May survey, when it stood at 88%, and the July survey, when it stood at 65%, a person will likely eat more meals at home in the future.
-- Beware of expiration date
Major industrial gas company Iwatani Corp. reported a 1.3 to 1.5-fold increase in sales of portable gas-burning stoves and portable gas canisters from April to September 2020 compared with the same period in 2019. The company said a similar sales trend is occurring in winter as well.
The company has been trying to inform the public on the correct way to use the stove on its website and launched a campaign in December 2020 to encourage people to replace their old portable gas-burning stoves.
The last time portable gas-burning stoves were selling well was immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake, which was about 10 years ago. Many people bought them as a precaution in case gas or electricity was cut because of the disaster.
However, the rubber gaskets installed in the stove last only about 10 years before they begin to crack. The expiration date for portable gas canisters is also said to be about seven years after they are manufactured.
"In order for them to be used safely, we want everyone to be aware of their expiration dates," an official of the company said.
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