In recent years, consumer purchasing behavior and values have changed significantly amid rising prices, lifestyle shifts, and the advance of digitalization. This special feature analyzes the changing consumer profile from multiple perspectives through public statistics, purchasing data, consumer surveys, and corporate interviews. Details of the May 2026 issue of Distribution Information include: “Consumption Trends Seen Through Public Statistics,” by Shotaro Tanimichi, Director of the Consumption Statistics Division at the Statistics Bureau of Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, analyzes recent consumption trends such as consumer spending, cashless payments, and online shopping usage based on official statistics from the Statistics Bureau. “Interview: AEON TOPVALU’s Product Strategy” features an interview with Mikio Takahashi, Director and Head of the Product Development Division at AEON TOPVALU Co., Ltd. The interview is conducted by Hiroshi Nakamura, Director of the Distribution Economics Institute of Japan and Professor Emeritus at Chuo University. It introduces the company’s private brand strategy, development of organic products, and initiatives to attract younger consumers. “Changes in Shopping Attitudes Under Inflation and Key Points of Interest,” by Masuji Ikeda, Senior Researcher at the Distribution Economics Institute of Japan, analyzes consumers’ defensive attitudes toward household spending, store selection, and changes in private brand use under inflation, based on a survey of 1,671 women in the Tokyo metropolitan area. “Reclassifying Retail Formats Based on Product Assortment and Price Positioning, and Changes in Purchasing Behavior,” by Tomohito Arase, Researcher at the Distribution Economics Institute of Japan, introduces a new classification of retail formats based on product assortment and price positioning to analyze changes in purchasing behavior. “An Empirical Study on Consumers’ Dietary Lifestyles,” by Yutaka Suzuki, Specia