Honor payment system problems at unmanned produce stands in Japan

Yesterday I posted a photo of an honor payment system at a bookstore in Ojai, California, and a lot of readers shared heart-warming stories about other honor payment systems. Today, I came across this article in the Daily Yomiuri Online about people ripping off unmanned produce stands in Japan. What a bummer.

200804151341.jpg Many of the managers reportedly complain that they make only 80 percent to 90 percent of what they should. However, some of them consider it cheaper than having to hire and pay someone to manage the stalls.

To combat the problem, Toshio Asakawa, a 65-year-old farmer in Asaka, Saitama Prefecture, introduced four vending machines to sell his vegetables.

"Before the introduction of the machines, more than half of my vegetables were stolen every day," Asakawa said.

He had to spend 3 million yen on the machines, but it seems to have paid off as his sales have increased by 50 percent, he said.

Link (via Japan Probe)