SDGs Locker

The SDGs Locker is an unmanned, locker‑type vending machine that sells food at affordable prices even though it is still within its best‑before date but would otherwise be discarded because of store opening‑hour limitations, off‑spec reasons and the like. Provided by Alpha Locker System Co., Ltd., headquartered in Yokohama, the lockers have been rolled out in the city since January 2024. Installing such vending machines for food‑loss countermeasures through a municipal project is the first attempt of its kind by a government‑designated city in Japan.

The SDGs Locker’s greatest feature is its mechanism that matches food manufacturers/retailers with facility managers who wish to offer food to the public. For example, a bakery can place unsold or off‑spec items in a locker, making them available to local consumers. Facility managers of stations, shopping complexes, or office buildings can host a locker, earn rental income and provide a purchasing option for visitors without incurring extra staffing costs. This matching system reduces food loss, and also creates new local partnerships.

1. Contributing to food waste reduction through after‑hours sales

Taking bakeries as an example, the joy of choosing from a wide variety of breads is part of the buying experience. To keep many kinds on display, bakers often have to bake throughout the day, which leads to leftovers at closing time. With the SDGs Locker, shops can continue selling after business hours, be it outside the store or at the nearest station, thus boosting revenue while cutting disposal costs.

2. A convenient unmanned system for users and hosts alike

Leveraging vending‑machine technology, sales can take place early in the morning or late at night, and bread is easy to buy even in areas without a convenience store or restaurant nearby. Some machines accept e‑money, credit cards and QR‑code payments, so neither users nor facility managers have to handle cash, simplifying management. Food businesses can also shorten opening hours by shifting part of sales to the locker, improving employees’ work–life balance.

3. A simple, tangible way for citizens to contribute to the SDGs

Because the concept “a locker that reduces food waste” is straightforward, residents can readily feel they are taking part in the SDGs. Users think, “I’m supporting the SDGs just by buying bread,” and “Even something this simple can make a difference,” encouraging everyday actions toward solving social issues. Such small individual efforts add up: as of April 2025, each of the seven SDGs lockers already installed is expected to cut food waste by more than 12.9 tonnes annually.