One of Japan's largest retailers, Seven & i Holdings, has announced the sale of its founding supermarket arm, Yōkadō. Although there were no explicit details given about the buyer or sale price, this move represents a significant change in Seven & i's business model. This strategic shift is said to focus on their highly successful convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, as brick-and-mortar grocery stores face increasing pressures.

This move has sparked a lively debate among the Japanese public, and reflects the broader economic trend of physical retailers struggling against e-commerce giants. The traditional respect for companies preserving their origin roots is at times in conflict with the need for modernization and adaptation to new industry trends.

Similarly, in the US and EU, brick-and-mortar stores are feeling the pressure from e-commerce platforms. Retailers like Wallmart and Carrefour are continually tweaking their business models to maintain competitiveness, leading to occasional store closures or divestments.