Share This Article Last updated: March 20, 2026  The Grocery Aisle MeltdownIf you walk through a Japanese supermarket, you will eventually see a small child crying and begging their mother to buy something. But they aren’t begging for chocolate or cookies. They are begging for a highly detailed anime figure sold in the grocery aisle. The “Food Toy” LoopholeThis is called “Shokugan” (Food Toy). It is a clever Japanese marketing trick. Inside the box is a high-quality, expensive plastic toy… accompanied by one tiny, sad piece of gum or a single piece of candy. Why Include the Candy? Why do … Continue reading Why Are Japanese Kids Crying in the Supermarket? (The “Shokugan” Trap)