August 18, 2026, 8:00 a.m. (JST)
[Japan] Aeon Marketing, which handles marketing services for the Aeon Group, has been gradually consolidating “WAON e-Money Points” into “WAON POINT” since March 1, 2026.The goal is to unify the Aeon Group’s point systems—which currently consist of the distinct “WAON Points for Electronic Money” and “WAON POINT” programs—into a single, common point system, making it “easier to understand and more convenient” for users.In an interview, Hiroaki Nagashima, Managing Director of Aeon Marketing, spoke about the 10th anniversary of WAON POINT and discussed plans to enhance the functionality of the universal points program—both for earning and redeeming points—as well as strategies for strengthening data utilization.
“Women in their 40s and 50s”—the driving force behind consumer spending—are the primary users
Following the integration, points can now be used not only for reloading accounts but also for direct payments. Additionally, points can be used via AEON Pay through Aeon’s all-in-one app, iAEON.The strength of WAON POINT as the Aeon Group’s universal loyalty program lies in its 105.99 million registered members and their purchase history data. There are 36.02 million male members and 60.56 million female members, with women in their 40s and 50s constituting the core user base.
Mr. Nagashima stated, “The number of people who receive points annually is 49.07 million, and the number who receive them monthly is 32.26 million; essentially, members are in a position to both earn and use points. This figure includes transactions made using the ‘Aeon Card,’ a credit card issued by Aeon Financial Services.On the other hand, the number of members whose purchasing patterns—unique to our group—are tracked stands at 43.3 million annually (4.3 trillion yen) and 26.43 million monthly. The number of participating stores is 45,926,” he said, explaining the strengths of WAON POINT.
Since the 2010s, the Aeon Group has been expanding through large-scale M&A, successively acquiring and integrating competitors—including the general supermarket chain Daiei and regional supermarkets—as wholly-owned subsidiaries. Furthermore, by bringing drugstore groups under its umbrella, the company is expanding its “Aeon Living Sphere.”Furthermore, “WAON POINT,” which launched in June 2016, is being integrated as the Aeon Group’s unified loyalty program, starting with the consolidation of “Tokimeki Points”—which are earned through Aeon-branded credit cards—in September 2021.
The integration of “WAON Points” (electronic money) scheduled for March 2026 can be seen as the culmination of this effort to unify the group’s common points system. In its medium-term management plan, Aeon aims for a “circular and sustainable business model in which Aeon’s growth in local communities contributes to the prosperity of those communities” as its vision for 2030.One of the pillars of this plan is the creation of “Aeon Living Spheres”—community-based initiatives tailored to the needs of each region—and the unified points system, which can serve as a common currency, plays a major role in this effort.
“It’s not widely known to everyone, but it’s deeply loved by those who’ve embraced it.”
Regarding the growing prominence of “WAON POINT” as a common rewards program, Mr. Nagashima commented, “Rather than using points to force customers into a closed system from above, it feels as though the program has taken root as an expansion of the Aeon Lifestyle Zone—one centered on the customer and chosen by them.”“The role of a common currency within the group is extremely important. Since the Aeon Group values diversity, we respect the autonomy of individual companies regarding point program adoption; however, as the Aeon Lifestyle Circle expands, the benefits of adoption are increasing, and the momentum toward integration is growing,” he said.
Since its launch in 2016, one unique feature of this retail group’s point system—distinctive to such programs—has been the ability for family members to share points earned through daily shopping. Mr. Nagashima noted, “A recent trend shows that customers are becoming more accustomed to the Aeon lifestyle, such as shopping multiple times a week at Aeon Group stores like supermarkets and drugstores.“While we may not match the broad name recognition of major loyalty programs, once customers enter the AEON lifestyle sphere, I believe the depth of their loyalty—the sense of being fully immersed or ‘hooked’—is on par with that of other programs,” he analyzed.
As for developing partner stores outside the group, AEON Financial Services—which has been expanding the electronic money services WAON, AEON Pay, and AEON Card—is in charge, while AEON Marketing collaborates on targeting key corporate clients. Mr. Nagashima states, “I believe the phase of acquiring partner stores by investing in incentive costs and upgrading POS systems one store at a time is now over.WAON POINT is supported by women in their 40s and older—the core consumer demographic—and we’re highlighting our strength in being able to drive those customers to our partners,” he says.
WAON POINT’s 10th Anniversary: Appealing to Younger Generations with “Excitement and Support”
WAON POINT celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2026. Under the brand concept of “Excitement and Support Circulating,” which expresses the joy of connections and gratitude in everyday life, the program aims to further increase the penetration of its universal points system.Mr. Nagashima states, “Going forward, our policy is to strengthen the use of points for purposes other than purchasing. We want to appeal to younger people who are interested in supporting IP content in the entertainment sector and ‘fandom activities.’ We will also continue to focus on the support activities promoted by the Aeon Group, such as donations and assistance for environmental conservation and disaster relief.”
One factor driving the expansion of WAON POINT is the anticipated benefits from the enhancement of the marketing platform being developed by Aeon Marketing.By linking WAON POINT member IDs to ID-POS data—which identifies “when,” “where,” “which products,” “how many,” and “at what price” items were sold—the company can address various challenges, such as understanding customer purchasing trends, setting product targets, and conducting sales promotion activities.
Mr. Nagashima said, “Our mission is to ensure that customers enjoy earning and using points, and to then feed the purchasing data accumulated through this process back into our core retail business.To improve Aeon’s products and store layouts, it is crucial to translate this into concrete measures and implement improvements in product development, store layout, and sales promotions. To this end, we have spent approximately three years building up our team of data specialists,” he said, expressing confidence in the future use of data.
Furthermore, the company is advancing partnerships with external entities—such as those in the beauty, real estate, and automotive sectors, which do not fall within the Aeon Group’s lifestyle domain—using WAON POINT as a medium.Mr. Nagashima stated, “Sectors such as gas stations and restaurants are naturally well-suited for a universal points program, but they tend to have only a tenuous connection to the Aeon lifestyle sphere. How to advance partnerships with these sectors is a challenge for the future.”
Meanwhile, regarding the future vision for the WAON POINT business, he stated, “We believe it is important to further enrich the Aeon lifestyle ecosystem.With the annual number of active members now approaching 50 million, I want all customers who shop with us to use the Aeon Group,” he said, revealing that his personal goal is to reach a number of active members equal to Japan’s working-age population (approximately 70 million people).
