Sushi chain Sushiro ordered to take action on deceptive advertising

Jiji Press

13:56 JST, June 11, 2022

OSAKA (Jiji Press) — The Consumer Affairs Agency on Thursday ordered the operator of conveyor-belt sushi chain Sushiro to take action to prevent the recurrence of deceptive advertising for eye-catching dishes.

The agency slapped Akindo Sushiro Co., headquartered in the city of Suita, Osaka Prefecture, with the order for violating the law against misleading representations.

Akindo Sushiro advertised via TV commercials and online that it would offer sushi dishes using urchin and crab, winter delicacies in Japan, for ¥858 per dish including tax for 17 days from the end of November last year, according to the agency citing the results of a Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) investigation.

In reality, however, over 90% of the Sushiro restaurants could not provide the dishes all day for at least one day due to a lack of stock. One restaurant was unable to provide the dishes from the first day of the campaign.

The agency also found two other advertisements, for urchin sushi and other dishes, in September to be similarly deceptive.

The Sushiro operator told Jiji Press that it is deeply sorry for the matter and will take preventive measures.

Although it was noted in the advertisements that the dishes might be sold out depending on demand and supply situations, the agency pointed out that consumers might have been prompted to visit Sushiro restaurants hoping to eat the advertised items.

“The misleading representation by the operator with the largest market share had a very large negative impact on general consumers,” a senior official of the JFTC told a press conference in Osaka City.