Why Japanese Supermarkets Show Farmers’ Faces on Vegetable Labels

- February 12, 2026

In many supermarkets across Japan, vegetables come with more than a price tag.

Next to tomatoes or spinach, you may see a small photo of the farmer. Sometimes there is a name. Sometimes a short message. The idea is often called “vegetables where you can see the face” (顔の見える野菜).

The practice became more visible in the early 2000s.

After a series of food safety scandals and labeling controversies, including mislabeling cases and BSE concerns, public trust in food labels declined across Japan. Consumers began demanding clearer traceability and stronger transparency in the food supply chain.

Retailers responded in two ways.
Tracking systems improved. Regulations tightened.

On the shelf, something simple appeared. The producer’s face.

In 2004, retailer Ito Yokado under Seven and i Holdings launched programs highlighting growers behind fresh produce. Regional supermarkets and agricultural cooperatives also expanded local production for local consumption sections known as chisan chisho, where vegetables grown within the same prefecture were sold with identifiable producer details.

The logic was simple.

Instead of anonymous produce, shoppers could see who grew their food.

A certification confirms inspection.
A QR code confirms origin data.
A face signals accountability instantly.

The practice is not universal and appears more often in local produce sections than in imported goods. But it has remained for over two decades, especially in regional supermarkets.