Food products, food product provision method, and food product sales system

Abstract

To reduce food loss through sales promotion of food products that have passed best-before dates.SOLUTION: A food product described herein includes a first food product 1A, a second food product 1B, first price information, and second price information, where the first food product is a product that has not reached a best-before date, the second food is a product that has passed the best-before date, and a price in the second price information is lower than a price of the second food product sold alone.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1(b)

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a food product, a method for providing a food product, and a system for selling a food product. More specifically, the present invention relates to a food product, a method for providing a food product, and a system for selling a food product that can reduce food loss. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, consumers have focused on the safety of products, especially food, and when choosing a product, they have become interested in the product itself and the ingredients of the product.

[0003] Therefore, product providers provide their products by listing information about the products they offer, such as the ingredients and origin of the raw materials used in the products, and the date of manufacture, on labels affixed to the product packaging or by recording it on an IC tag.

[0004] However, simply providing written or recorded information attached to products makes it easy to tamper with or falsify that information, and in fact, falsification and falsification of information has been practiced in some cases. This has led to low consumer trust and made it difficult for consumers to select products with confidence.

[0005] Therefore, the inventor of the present invention has proposed a technology in which food is provided by attaching a sample of raw material powder made from powdered ingredients, rather than simply attaching written or recorded information to the food (see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-5656 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] By the way, while making food quality visible will allow consumers to choose food with confidence, it is difficult to directly link this to reducing food waste, which has become a problem in recent years.

[0008] The present invention was devised in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide a food product, a method for providing a food product, and a food product sales system that can reduce food waste. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the food product of the present invention comprises a first food which is a predetermined food, a second food which is provided together with the first food, first price information which is information regarding the price of the first food, and second price information which is information regarding the price of the second food, wherein the first food is a food which has not yet reached its expiration date and the second food is a food which has passed its expiration date, and the second food is also traded as a standalone product, and the price of the second price information is cheaper than the price of the second food traded as a standalone product.

[0010] In addition, the food product of the present invention comprises a first food which is a specified food, a second food which is provided together with the first food, first price information which is information regarding the price of the first food, and second price information which is information regarding the price of the second food, wherein the first food is a food whose shipping deadline has not yet arrived and the second food is a food whose shipping deadline has passed, and the second food is also traded as a standalone product, and the price of the second price information is cheaper than the price of the second food traded as a standalone product.

[0011] Furthermore, the food product of the present invention comprises a first food which is a specified food, a second food which is provided together with the first food, first price information which is information regarding the price of the first food, and second price information which is information regarding the price of the second food, and when the reference date is defined as the day on which the number of days remaining until the expiration date is a specified number of days, the first food is a food whose reference date has not yet arrived, and the second food is a food whose reference date has passed, and the second food is also traded as a standalone product, and the price of the second price information is cheaper than the price of the second food traded as a standalone product.

[0012] In addition, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the method of providing food products of the present invention includes a step of providing a first food, which is a predetermined food, a second food that is separate from the first food, first price information that is information about the price of the first food, and second price information that is information about the price of the second food, all together as a single unit, wherein the first food is a food that has not yet reached its expiration date and the second food is a food that has passed its expiration date, and the second food is also traded as a standalone product, and the price of the second price information is cheaper than the price of the second food traded as a standalone product.

[0013] In addition, the method of providing food products of the present invention includes a step of providing a food product having a first food, which is a predetermined food, and a second food, which is separate from the first food, while displaying first price information, which is information about the price of the first food, and second price information, which is information about the price of the second food, wherein the first food is a food that has not yet reached its expiration date and the second food is a food that has passed its expiration date, and the second food is also traded as a standalone product, and the price of the second price information is cheaper than the price of the second food traded as a standalone product.

[0014] In addition, the method of providing food products of the present invention includes a step of providing a first food, which is a predetermined food, a second food that is separate from the first food, first price information that is information about the price of the first food, and second price information that is information about the price of the second food, together as a single unit, wherein the first food is a food whose shipping deadline has not yet arrived and the second food is a food whose shipping deadline has passed, and the second food is also traded as a standalone product, and the price of the second price information is cheaper than the price of the second food traded as a standalone product.

[0015] In addition, the method of providing food products of the present invention includes a step of providing a food product having a first food, which is a predetermined food, and a second food, which is separate from the first food, while displaying first price information, which is information about the price of the first food, and second price information, which is information about the price of the second food, wherein the first food is a food whose shipping deadline has not yet arrived and the second food is a food whose shipping deadline has passed, and the second food is also traded as a standalone product, and the price of the second price information is cheaper than the price of the second food traded as a standalone product.

[0016] In addition, the method of providing food products of the present invention includes a step of providing a first food, which is a specified food, a second food that is separate from the first food, first price information, which is information about the price of the first food, and second price information, which is information about the price of the second food, together as a single unit, wherein, when the reference date is defined as the day when the number of days remaining until the expiration date is a specified number of days, the first food is a food for which the reference date has not yet arrived, and the second food is a food for which the reference date has passed, and the second food is also traded as a standalone product, and the price of the second price information is cheaper than the price of the second food traded as a standalone product.

[0017] In addition, the method of providing food products of the present invention includes a step of providing a food product having a first food, which is a specified food, and a second food, which is separate from the first food, while displaying first price information, which is information about the price of the first food, and second price information, which is information about the price of the second food, and when the reference date is defined as the day when the number of days remaining until the expiration date is a specified number of days, the first food is a food for which the reference date has not yet arrived, and the second food is a food for which the reference date has passed, and the second food is also traded as a standalone product, and the price of the second price information is cheaper than the price of the second food traded as a standalone product.

[0018] Here, by providing the first food and the second food together, consumers will be able to obtain both the first food and the second food, which is expected to reduce food waste. In other words, even if the second food (food that has passed its best-before date, food that has passed its shipping date, or food that has passed its reference date) were to be sold alone, the fact that it has passed its various dates (best-before date, shipping date, reference date) would be an obstacle, and there would be concerns that it would go unsold. However, by providing it together with the first food (food that has not yet passed its best-before date, food that has not yet passed its shipping date, or food that has not yet passed its reference date), the price of the second food offered as a whole is cheaper than the price of the second food traded alone, and this is expected to make it more acceptable to consumers.

[0019] In addition, by providing the first price information and the second price information, the price of the second food item (i.e., a price that is cheaper than the price of the second food item traded individually) can be made known to the consumer.

[0020] Furthermore, if the price of the second food (food that has passed its best-before date, food that has passed its shipping date, or food that has passed its reference date) is cheaper than the price when the various deadlines (best-before date, shipping date, or reference date) have not yet arrived, it will be even more likely to be accepted by consumers.

[0021] In addition, if the price of the second food (food that has passed its best-before date, food that has passed its shipping date, or food that has passed its reference date) is cheaper than the price of the first food (food that has not yet passed its best-before date, food that has not yet passed its shipping date, or food that has not yet passed its reference date), it will be more likely to be accepted by consumers.

[0022] In addition, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the food product sales system of the present invention is a food product sales system for selling a second food product, which is a food product whose expiration date has passed, as a single product, or for selling the second food product together with a first food product, which is a food product whose expiration date has not yet arrived, and is equipped with an inventory information recording means for recording inventory information including information on the inventory quantity of the second food product and information on a specified deadline, which is either the shipping deadline, best-before date, or use-by date of the second food product, a price calculation means for checking the inventory quantity information recorded in the inventory information recording means in response to a request from a consumer's terminal, and, provided that the second food product is in stock, calculating the price of the second food product when sold as a single product and the price of the second food product when sold together with the first food product based on the information on the specified deadline recorded in the inventory information recording means, and an output means for outputting information on the price of the first food product and information on the price of the second food product calculated by the price calculation means to the consumer's terminal.

[0023] In addition, the food product sales system of the present invention is a food product sales system for selling a second food product, which is a food product whose expiration date has passed, as a single product, or for selling the second food product together with a first food product, which is a food product whose expiration date has not yet arrived, and is equipped with an inventory information recording means for recording inventory information including information on the inventory quantity of a specified food product that is the same food as the second food product, and information on a specified deadline, which is either the shipping deadline, best-before date, or expiration date of the specified food product; a price calculation means for calculating, in response to a request from a consumer's terminal, the price of the second food product when sold as a single product and the price of the second food product when sold together with the first food product, based on the information on the specified deadline recorded in the inventory information recording means, provided that there is stock of the second food product, which is the specified product whose expiration date has passed; and an output means for outputting information on the price of the first food product and information on the price of the second food product calculated by the price calculation means to the consumer's terminal.

[0024] In addition, the food product sales system of the present invention is a food product sales system for selling a second food product, which is a food product whose shipping deadline has passed, as a single product, or for selling the second food product together with a first food product, which is a food product whose shipping deadline has not yet arrived, and is equipped with an inventory information recording means for recording inventory information including information on the inventory quantity of the second food product and information on a specified deadline, which is either the shipping deadline, best-before date, or use-by date of the second food product, a price calculation means for checking the inventory quantity information recorded in the inventory information recording means in response to a request from a consumer's terminal, and, provided that the second food product is in stock, calculating the price of the second food product when sold as a single product and the price of the second food product when sold together with the first food product based on the information on the specified deadline recorded in the inventory information recording means, and an output means for outputting information on the price of the first food product and information on the price of the second food product calculated by the price calculation means to the consumer's terminal.

[0025] In addition, the food product sales system of the present invention is a food product sales system for selling a second food product, which is a food product whose shipping deadline has passed, as a single product, or for selling the second food product together with a first food product, which is a food product whose shipping deadline has not yet arrived, and is equipped with an inventory information recording means for recording inventory information including information on the inventory quantity of a specified food product that is the same food as the second food product, and information on a specified deadline, which is either the shipping deadline, best-before date, or use-by date of the specified food product; a price calculation means for calculating, in response to a request from a consumer's terminal, the price of the second food product when sold as a single product and the price of the second food product when sold together with the first food product, based on the information on the specified deadline recorded in the inventory information recording means, provided that there is stock of the second food product, which is the specified product whose shipping deadline has passed; and an output means for outputting information on the price of the first food product and information on the price of the second food product calculated by the price calculation means to the consumer's terminal.

[0026] Furthermore, the food product sales system of the present invention defines the day when the number of days remaining until the expiration date is a predetermined number as a reference date, and sells a second food product that is a food product that has passed the reference date as a single product, or sells the second food product together with a first food product that is a food product that has not yet reached the reference date, and includes an inventory information recording means for recording inventory information including information on the inventory quantity of the second food product and information on a predetermined deadline, which is either the shipping deadline, best-before date, or expiration date of the second food product; The system is equipped with a price calculation means that, in response to a request from a consumer's terminal, checks the inventory quantity information recorded in the inventory information recording means and, provided that the second food is in stock, calculates the price of the second food when sold alone and the price of the second food when sold together with the first food based on the specified expiration date information recorded in the inventory information recording means, and an output means that outputs information on the price of the first food and information on the price of the second food calculated by the price calculation means to the consumer's terminal.

[0027] The food product sales system of the present invention defines a reference date as the day when the number of days remaining until the expiration date is a predetermined number of days, and sells a second food product that is a food product that has passed the reference date as a standalone product, or sells the second food product together with a first food product that is a food product whose reference date has not yet arrived, and records inventory information including information on the inventory quantity of a predetermined food product that is the same food product as the second food product, and information on the predetermined expiration date, which is either the shipping expiration date, best-before date, or use-by date of the predetermined food product. the price of the second food when sold as a standalone product and the price of the second food when sold together with the first food, based on the information on the specified expiration date recorded in the inventory information recording means, in response to a request from the consumer's terminal, provided that there is stock of the second food, which is the specified commodity that has passed the reference date; and an output means for outputting information on the price of the first food and information on the price of the second food calculated by the price calculation means to the consumer's terminal.

[0028] Here, when the price calculation means calculates the price of the second food based on information on various expiration dates (best before date, shipping date, reference date) recorded in the inventory information recording means, it is possible to calculate a price based on information on various expiration dates (best before date, shipping date, reference date) of the second food.

[0029] The "calculated price of the second food product" here may be (1) a fixed amount (flat price) regardless of the number of days past the various deadlines (best before date, shipping date, reference date), or (2) a price that is cheaper the more days past the various deadlines (best before date, shipping date, reference date).

[0030] In addition, by the output means outputting information on the price of the second food calculated by the price calculation means to the terminal of the consumer (the consumer who wishes to have information on the first food output), the consumer can be informed of the price of the second food, which is expected to lead to the purchase of the second food.

[0031] Incidentally, the terms "first food" and "second food" used here include both "primary products" and "secondary products," and are intended to include not only foods and drinks intended for nutrient intake or enjoyment (animal foods, plant foods, processed foods, frozen foods, luxury foods, seasoning ingredients, health foods, supplements, beverages, processed ingredients, etc.), but also pharmaceuticals and quasi-drugs. For example, herbal medicines are included. They also include feed, aquaculture feed, dog food, and other products intended for fish and other animals.

[0032] Furthermore, "primary products" here refer to unprocessed fresh foods, animal foods, and plant foods themselves, such as vegetables such as radishes and cabbage, or raw meat such as chicken and beef. Other examples include fruits, beans, shellfish, and fish.

[0033] Furthermore, "secondary products" here refer to products made from unprocessed fresh foods, unprocessed animal foods, or unprocessed plant foods, such as mochi (rice cakes), buns, pickles, stir-fried vegetables, steaks, hamburgers, ramen, bento boxes, bread, milk, cheese, beer, wine, sake, whiskey, frozen foods, canned goods, bottled tea and juice, coffee, and soft drinks.

[0034] Furthermore, "secondary products" here not only include secondary products processed using primary products as raw materials, but also include secondary products processed using secondary products as raw materials. For example, it includes tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet) made by purchasing seasoned eggs as raw materials and baking them. Furthermore, "secondary products" here also include secondary products purchased using secondary products as raw materials. For example, it includes boxed lunches filled with purchased tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet).

[0035] In addition, "providing both" here includes not only cases where the first food item and the second food item are provided in a physical store, but also cases where the first food item and the second food item are provided by home delivery, etc.

[0036] Furthermore, the "first food" here may be singular or plural, and the "second food" may also be singular or plural. That is, the food product of the present invention may be any of the following: (1) a combination of a "single first food" and a "single second food," (2) a combination of a "single first food" and a "multiple second foods," (3) a combination of a "multiple first foods" and a "single second food," or (4) a combination of a "multiple first foods" and a "multiple second foods."

[0037] Furthermore, the combination of the "first food" and the "second food" here may be any of (1) the same food, (2) foods of the same type, or (3) different foods.

[0038] Also, the "best before date" here means "the date by which the food can be eaten deliciously without any change in quality," and does not mean that the food becomes inedible immediately even if the best before date has passed.

[0039] Also, the "expiration date" here means "the date by which it can be safely eaten," meaning that it is no longer edible after the expiration date.

[0040] Furthermore, the "shipping deadline" here means the "deadline by which wholesalers or manufacturers can deliver to retailers," and if the shipping deadline is exceeded, it means that, according to business practices, the product will be returned by the retailer to the wholesaler or manufacturer. In commercial practice, the "shipping by date" is often set to "one-third of the food's best-before date" (for example, if the food has a best-before date six months from the date of manufacture, the shipping by date is two months from the date of manufacture), but the "shipping by date" here can also be "one-quarter of the food's best-before date." It can also be "two months before the food's best-before date" or "one year before the food's expiration date." [Effects of the Invention]

[0041] The food product, the method for providing the food product, and the food product sales system of the present invention can reduce food waste by reducing unsold second food products. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0042] [Figure 1(a)] 1 is a schematic diagram (1) illustrating an example of a food product of the present invention. [Figure 1(b)] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram (2) illustrating an example of the food product of the present invention. [Figure 1(c)] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining a modified example of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram for explaining the contents written on the sticker. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of a configuration example of a food product sales system of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0043] Hereinafter, a mode for carrying out the invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiment") will be described. Here, in this embodiment, the explanation will be given based on June 21, 2022, in other words, if the expiration date is before June 20, 2022, the expiration date has passed, and if the expiration date is after June 21, 2022, the expiration date has not arrived. The explanation will be given in the following order. 1. First embodiment 2. Second embodiment

[0044] <1. First embodiment> [Configuration Description] 1(a) and 1(b) are schematic diagrams illustrating an example of a food product to which the present invention is applied, and food product A shown here is composed of food 1A and food 1B. Food product A is made by packaging food 1A and food 1B in vinyl 2, and sticker 3 is affixed to vinyl 2.

[0045] Furthermore, food 1A and food 1B are both secondary products and are the same food, but the production date of food 1B is earlier than that of food 1A (in other words, food 1B was produced before food 1A).

[0046] In this embodiment, an example is given in which food 1B was produced before food 1A, but as will be described later, it is sufficient if food 1A has not yet reached its expiration date, while food 1B has passed its expiration date, and it is not necessarily necessary for food 1B to have been produced before food 1A.

[0047] Food 1A corresponds to the "first food" and food 1B corresponds to the "second food."

[0048] Here, food 1A is a food that is traded as a standalone product, and is distributed at a price (list price) of 1,100 yen (1,000 yen excluding tax). That is, in this embodiment, an example is given in which food 1A is provided together with food 1B, but food 1A is also provided on the market on its own. The price of Food 1A when served together with Food 1B is 1,100 yen (1,000 yen excluding tax), the same as the price at which Food 1A is sold alone.

[0049] In addition, Food 1A is a food whose best-before date has not yet arrived (and therefore whose expiration date has not yet arrived either). Specifically, Food 1A is a food whose best-before date is October 31, 2022.

[0050] Furthermore, food 1B is also traded as a standalone food, and its price (when traded as a standalone food) is 220 yen (200 yen excluding tax). That is, in this embodiment, an example is given in which food 1B is offered together with food 1A, but food 1B is also offered on the market on its own. When food 1B is served together with food 1A, the price is 110 yen (excluding tax: 100 yen), half the price of food 1B sold alone.

[0051] Food 1B is a food product whose best-before date has passed but whose expiration date has not yet arrived. Specifically, Food 1B is a food product whose best-before date is June 20, 2022. In addition, Food 1B is a food that was traded as a single unit even if its expiration date had not yet arrived, and at that time it was distributed at the same price (list price) as Food 1A, 1,100 yen (excluding tax: 1,000 yen).

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, sticker 3 indicates the price of food product A (specifically, "Price: 1,210 yen (excluding tax: 1,100 yen)"), as well as "Details of Food 1A" and "Details of Food 1B."

[0053] Here, the "Details of Food 1A" includes the price of Food 1A (specifically, "Price: 1,000 yen"), information on the production date of Food 1A (specifically, "Production date: January 31, 2022"), and information on the expiration date of Food 1A (specifically, "Expiration date: October 31, 2022").

[0054] In this embodiment, the explanation is given using an example in which the expiration date of food product 1A is only written down to the date, but the time may also be written if necessary (for example, a display such as "Expiration date: January 31, 2022, 10:00 AM").

[0055] In addition, the "Details of Food 1B" section includes the price of Food 1B (specifically, "Price: 100 yen"), the list price of Food 1B (specifically, "List price: 1,000 yen"), the price of Food 1B alone (specifically, "Price: 200 yen"), information on the production date of Food 1B (specifically, "Production date: September 20, 2021"), and information on the expiration date of Food 1B (specifically, "Expiration date: June 20, 2022").

[0056] In this embodiment, the explanation is given using an example in which only the date is written as the expiration date for food product 1B, but the time may also be written if necessary (for example, a display such as "Expiration date: June 20, 2022, 10:00 AM").

[0057] [effect] In the example of the food product to which the present invention is applied described above, food 1A and food 1B are integrated, so when food 1A is served, not only food 1A but also food 1B is inevitably served. In this way, food 1B can be served to consumers along with food 1A, and by preventing the waste of food 1B, food waste can be reduced.

[0058] In addition, in an example of a food product to which the present invention is applied, the price of food 1B is set low (specifically, the list price is 1,000 yen, and the individual price is set at 100 yen instead of 200 yen), which means that consumers who are looking to purchase food 1A can purchase food 1B, which is the same food as food 1A, at a bargain price, thereby stimulating their desire to purchase.

[0059] Furthermore, in one example of a food product to which the present invention is applied, sticker 3 lists the price of food 1B (100 yen), the list price (1,000 yen), and the unit price (200 yen), thereby informing consumers that the price of food 1B is inexpensive (1 / 10 of the list price, and 1 / 2 of the unit price). Informing consumers that the price of food 1B is set inexpensively can stimulate their desire to purchase, and further reductions in food waste can be expected.

[0060] [Variation 1] In the first embodiment described above, the example is given in which food 1B is available for a fee (100 yen), but it is sufficient to be able to reduce food waste by providing food 1B together with food 1A, and food 1B does not necessarily have to be available for a fee and may be provided free of charge (0 yen).

[0061] [Variation 2] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, an example is given in which the sticker 3 contains the "price of food product A," "details of food 1A," and "details of food 1B." However, it is sufficient if such information (the information written on the sticker 3) is conveyed to the consumer, and it is not necessary to write the information itself on the sticker 3; as shown in Figure 1(c), it is also possible to display identification information 4 (for example, a two-dimensional barcode) that allows access to the information. The identification information (such as a two-dimensional barcode) contains a URL, and by reading the identification information with a mobile device, etc., it is possible to access a website via the Internet that lists the "price of food product A," "details of food 1A," and "details of food 1B."

[0062] [Variation 3] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, an example is given in which the "price of food product A," "details of food 1A," and "details of food 1B" are written on sticker 3, but it is sufficient if such information (the information written on sticker 3) is conveyed to the consumer, and it is not necessary to write it on sticker 3; it is also possible to provide food product A without sticker 3 after communicating the information to the consumer in various ways.

[0063] [Variation 4] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the example is given in which food 1A and food 1B are the same food, but it is sufficient if the food is one that can stimulate the consumer's desire to purchase food 1A by making them feel that they are getting a good deal, and food 1B does not necessarily have to be the same food as food 1A, but can be a ``food of the same type'' or a ``different food.''

[0064] "Foods of the same kind" here means that the foods can be "identified as foods." For example, cream buns and jam buns have in common the fact that they are sweet buns, but they are not foods of the same kind because they are different types of sweet buns. Furthermore, even if two cream buns have different cream colors, they are not foods of the same kind. In other words, foods with different external colors are not foods of the same kind. Similarly, red wine and white wine cannot be said to be of the same kind, because they are not related in a way that allows them to be considered the same food, even if they are grown using the same farming method and on the same farm.

[0065] [Variation 5] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, the example is given in which food 1A and food 1B are secondary products, but food 1A and food 1B do not necessarily have to be secondary products and may also be primary products.

[0066] [Variation 6] In addition, in the first embodiment described above, the price of food 1B (displayed as "Price: 100 yen") and the list price of food 1B (displayed as "List price: 1,000 yen") are listed as "Details of food 1B" to inform consumers that the selling price is 1 / 10 of the list price, but it is also possible to display that the actual selling price is 1 / 10 of the list price. For example, in the "Details of Food 1B," the price of Food 1B (displayed as "Actual price: 100 yen (900 yen worth of points awarded)") and the list price of Food 1B (displayed as "List price: 1,000 yen") may be listed to indicate that the effective selling price is 1 / 10 of the list price. In this case, the consumer will pay 1,000 yen for the purchase of Food 1B, but will be awarded points worth 900 yen.

[0067] [Variation 7] In addition, in the first embodiment described above, the price of food 1B (displayed as "Price: 100 yen") and the individual price of food 1B (displayed as "Individual price: 200 yen") are listed as "Details of food 1B" to inform consumers that the selling price is half the individual price, but it is also possible to display that the actual selling price is half the individual price. For example, in the "Details of Food 1B," the price of Food 1B (displayed as "Actual price: 100 yen (100 yen worth of points awarded)") and the stand-alone price of Food 1B (displayed as "Stand-alone price: 200 yen") may be listed to indicate that the effective selling price is half the stand-alone price. In this case, the consumer will pay 200 yen for the purchase of Food 1B, but will be awarded points worth 100 yen.

[0068] [Variation 8] Furthermore, in the first embodiment described above, an example is given in which food 1B whose expiration date has passed is sold at a discount based on the expiration date, but food whose shipping deadline or reference date has passed can also be sold at a discount based on the shipping deadline or reference date. The "reference date" here means the date when the number of days remaining until the expiration date is a predetermined number (for example, 30 days).

[0069] <2. Second embodiment> FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram for explaining an example of the configuration of a food product sales system to which the present invention is applied, and is an example of the configuration of a system for providing (selling) food product A shown in FIG. 1(a) and FIG. 1(b).

[0070] A food product sales system 11 shown in FIG. 3 is configured to be able to exchange various information via the Internet 12 with a consumer terminal 13 used by a person (consumer) who wishes to purchase a food product.

[0071] The food product sales system 11 also includes inventory information recording means 14A and 14B, inventory information confirmation means 15, price calculation means 16, and information output means 17.

[0072] Here, the inventory information recording means 14A is configured to be able to record at least information 14Aa on the name of the food 1A, information 14Ab on the inventory quantity of the food 1A, information 14Ac on the expiration date of the food 1A, information 14Ad on the expiration date of the food 1A, and information 14Ae on the price of the food 1A. Specifically, for food 1A whose expiration date has not yet arrived (and therefore whose use-by date has not yet arrived either), its name, quantity in stock, expiration date, use-by date, and price are recorded.

[0073] In addition, the inventory information recording means 14B is configured to be able to record at least information 14Ba on the name of the food 1B, information 14Bb on the inventory quantity of the food 1B, information 14Bc on the expiration date of the food 1B, information 14Bd on the expiration date of the food 1B, and information 14Be on the price (list price) of the food 1B. Specifically, for food 1B whose best-before date has passed but whose use-by date has not passed, the name, quantity in stock, best-before date, use-by date, and price (list price) are recorded.

[0074] In addition, the inventory information confirmation means 15 is configured to be able to confirm the inventory quantity recorded in the inventory information recording means 14A, 14B when a consumer requests information on food product 1A, or when a consumer requests information on food product 1B, or when a consumer requests information on food product A. Specifically, when a request is made from consumer terminal 13 to output information on food 1A, food 1B, or food product A, information 14Ab on the inventory quantity of food 1A and information 14Bb on the inventory quantity of food 1B are accessed to confirm the inventory quantity.

[0075] In addition to "information 14Ab on the number of items in stock of food 1A" and "information 14Bb on the number of items in stock of food 1B," inventory information checking means 15 also checks "expiration date 14Ad of food 1A" and "expiration date 14Bd of food 1B." If the expiring date 14Ad of food 1A has passed, it is determined that food 1A is out of stock, and if the expiring date 14Bd of food 1B has passed, it is determined that food 1B is out of stock.

[0076] In addition, the price calculation means 16 is configured to be able to check the prices recorded in the inventory information recording means 14A when a consumer requests information on food product 1A, or when a consumer requests information on food product 1B, or when a consumer requests information on food product A. Specifically, when a request for output of information on food 1A, food 1B, or food product A is made from consumer terminal 13, price information 14Ae for food 1A is accessed to confirm the price.

[0077] Furthermore, the price calculation means 16 calculates the price of food 1B (the price when sold together with food 1A) based on the "number of days elapsed since the expiration date information 14Bc of food 1B" and the "price (list price) information 14Be of food 1B." For example, if the price (list price) of food 1B is 1,000 yen, if it is one day past the expiration date it will be 100 yen (90% off the list price), if it is two days past the expiration date it will be 50 yen (95% off the list price), and if it is three days or more past the expiration date it will be 10 yen (99% off the list price). The price (standalone price) when selling only food 1B is calculated as twice the price of food 1B when sold together with food 1A.

[0078] The "number of days elapsed since the expiration date information 14Bc of food product 1B" is calculated by comparing the expiration date information 14Bc of food product 1B with the date on which the consumer requested the information (in other words, the date on which price calculation means 16 calculates the price). In the present embodiment, using June 21, 2022 as the base date, it is determined that "one day has passed since the expiration date" for food product 1B.

[0079] The information output means 17 is configured to be able to output information to the consumer terminal 13 based on the confirmation results and calculation results of the stock information confirmation means 15 and the price calculation means 16. The information output by the information output means 17 in this embodiment is as follows:

[0080] (If Food 1A and Food 1B are in stock) If the inventory information confirmation means 15 finds that food 1A and food 1B are in stock, it outputs a message that "food 1A, food 1B, and food product A are all available for sale" and "price information for food 1A, food 1B, and food product A." That is, the list price of food 1A (1,000 yen), the unit price of food 1B (200 yen), and the price of food product A (1,100 yen) are output.

[0081] (If food 1A is out of stock) If the result of the check by the inventory information checking means 15 is that only food 1A is out of stock (in other words, if only food 1B is in stock), the means outputs "information about the price of food 1B" along with "information that food 1A is out of stock, and therefore food 1A and food product A cannot be sold, and only food 1B can be sold." In other words, the unit price of food 1B (200 yen) is output.

[0082] (If food 1B is out of stock) If the result of the check by the inventory information checking means 15 is that only food 1B is out of stock (in other words, only food 1A is in stock), the means outputs "information on the price of food 1A" along with "information on the price of food 1A, stating that food 1B is out of stock and therefore food 1B and food product A cannot be sold, and only food 1A can be sold." In other words, the list price of food 1A (1,000 yen) is output.

[0083] (When Food 1A and Food 1B are out of stock) If the result of the check by the inventory information confirmation means 15 is that food 1A and food 1B are out of stock, the output will be "Food 1A, Food 1B, and Food Product A cannot be sold because Food 1A and Food 1B are out of stock."

[0084] As with the first embodiment, the present embodiment will be described based on June 21, 2022. That is, the description will be given by taking as an example a case where information on food 1A whose expiration date has not yet arrived is recorded in inventory information recording means 14A, and information on food 1B whose expiration date has passed is recorded in inventory information recording means 14B. However, whether the expiration date has arrived (whether the expiration date has passed) depends on the reference date for judgment, so whether the food recorded in the inventory information recording means is a food whose expiration date has passed will be determined taking into consideration the reference date for judgment.

[0085] Specifically, if a food with a best-before date of October 31, 2022 is called Food A and a food with a best-before date of June 20, 2022 is called Food B, then (1) before June 20, 2022, both Food A and Food B fall under Food 1A (in other words, foods whose best-before date has not yet arrived), (2) from June 21, 2022 to October 31, 2022, Food A falls under Food 1A (in other words, foods whose best-before date has not yet arrived) and Food B falls under Food 1B (in other words, foods whose best-before date has passed), and (3) after November 1, 2022, both Food A and Food B fall under Food 1B (in other words, foods whose best-before date has passed).

[0086] More specifically, the inventory information confirmation means 15 uses the date on which the consumer requested the information as the reference date (in other words, the date on which the inventory information confirmation means 15 confirms the inventory quantity as the reference date), determines whether food A and food B recorded in the inventory information recording means 14A and 14B correspond to food 1A or food 1B, respectively, and then confirms the inventory information of food 1A and food 1B.

[0087] Therefore, even if the information recorded in the inventory information recording means 14A, 14B does not change (specifically, if the expiration date information for food A and food B does not change), the information output by the information output means 17 will change depending on the difference in the judgment reference date such as (1), (2), and (3).

[0088] [effect] In the food product sales system 11 to which the present invention is applied as described above, even if a consumer desires information on food 1A (in other words, does not desire information on food 1B), information about food 1B and food product A is output, provided that food 1B is in stock, thereby promoting sales of food 1B and reducing food waste by preventing the disposal of food 1B.

[0089] In addition, the food product sales system 11 to which the present invention is applied outputs price information for food 1B (price information when sold together with food 1A, and price information when sold alone), and can inform consumers that the price of food 1B is set low, thereby stimulating consumer purchasing desire.

[0090] [Variation 9] In the second embodiment described above, the price calculation means 16 performs calculations based on the "number of days elapsed since the expiration date information 14Bc of food 1B," but the calculation may also be performed based on the "number of days until the expiration date information 14Bd of food 1B," or based on both the "number of days elapsed since the expiration date information 14Bc of food 1B" and the "number of days until the expiration date information 14Bd of food 1B."

[0091] [Variation 10] In the second embodiment described above, the case where food 1A and food 1B are the same food is used as an example, but as in variant 4 described above, they may also be "foods of the same type" or "different foods."

[0092] [Variation 11] In the second embodiment described above, the explanation is given using the best-before date as an example, but the "shipping deadline" or "reference date" may also be used as the basis, as in variant 8 described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 1A Food 1B Food 2. Vinyl 3 Seals 4. Identification information (two-dimensional barcode) 11 Food product sales system 12. Internet 13 Consumer Devices 14A Inventory information recording means 14B Inventory information recording means 15. Means of checking inventory information 16 Price calculation method 17 Information output means

Claims

1. A food product sales system for selling a second food product that is a food product that has passed its expiration date as a single product, or for selling the second food product together with a first food product that is a food product that has not yet reached its expiration date, an inventory information recording means for recording inventory information including information on the inventory quantity of the second food product and information on a predetermined deadline, which is either a shipping deadline, a best-before date, or a use-by date, of the second food product; a price calculation means for, in response to a request from a consumer terminal, checking the stock quantity information recorded in the stock information recording means, and, provided that the second food is in stock, calculating the price of the second food when sold alone and the price of the second food when sold together with the first food based on the predetermined expiration date information recorded in the stock information recording means; an output means for outputting information on the price of the first food and information on the price of the second food calculated by the price calculation means to a terminal of the consumer; The price calculation means Calculate the price of the second food product when sold together with the first food product based on the number of days elapsed since the expiration date of the second food product, or the number of days elapsed since the shipping deadline of the second food product, or the number of days elapsed since a reference date on which the number of days remaining until the expiration date of the second food product is a predetermined number of days, and the list price of the second food product; Calculating the price of the second food product when sold separately so that the price is higher than the price of the second food product when sold together with the first food product. Food product sales system.

2. A food product sales system for selling a second food product alone, which is a food product whose shipping date has passed, or for selling the second food product together with a first food product whose shipping date has not yet arrived, an inventory information recording means for recording inventory information including information on the inventory quantity of the second food product and information on a predetermined deadline, which is either a shipping deadline, a best-before date, or a use-by date, of the second food product; a price calculation means for, in response to a request from a consumer terminal, checking the stock quantity information recorded in the stock information recording means, and, provided that the second food is in stock, calculating the price of the second food when sold alone and the price of the second food when sold together with the first food based on the predetermined expiration date information recorded in the stock information recording means; an output means for outputting information on the price of the first food and information on the price of the second food calculated by the price calculation means to a terminal of the consumer; The price calculation means Calculate the price of the second food product when sold together with the first food product based on the number of days elapsed since the expiration date of the second food product, or the number of days elapsed since the shipping deadline of the second food product, or the number of days elapsed since a reference date on which the number of days remaining until the expiration date of the second food product is a predetermined number of days, and the list price of the second food product; Calculating the price of the second food product when sold separately so that the price is higher than the price of the second food product when sold together with the first food product. Food product sales system.

3. The date on which the number of days remaining until the expiration date is a predetermined number is defined as the base date, A food product sales system for selling a second food product that is a food product that has passed the reference date as a single product, or for selling the second food product together with a first food product that is a food product that has not yet reached the reference date, an inventory information recording means for recording inventory information including information on the inventory quantity of the second food product and information on a predetermined deadline, which is either a shipping deadline, a best-before date, or a use-by date, of the second food product; a price calculation means for, in response to a request from a consumer terminal, checking the stock quantity information recorded in the stock information recording means, and, provided that the second food is in stock, calculating the price of the second food when sold alone and the price of the second food when sold together with the first food based on the predetermined expiration date information recorded in the stock information recording means; an output means for outputting information on the price of the first food and information on the price of the second food calculated by the price calculation means to a terminal of the consumer; The price calculation means Calculate the price of the second food product when sold together with the first food product based on the number of days elapsed since the expiration date of the second food product, or the number of days elapsed since the shipping deadline of the second food product, or the number of days elapsed since a reference date on which the number of days remaining until the expiration date of the second food product is a predetermined number of days, and the list price of the second food product; Calculating the price of the second food product when sold separately so that the price is higher than the price of the second food product when sold together with the first food product. Food product sales system.

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