Daiso

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Daiso is a Japanese discount shop chain known for selling many items at low prices, originally focused on 100-yen products.

Daiso Industries Co., Ltd. began as a street vending shop called Yano Shoten in 1972, founded by Hirotake Yano. It was renamed Daiso in 1977 and is headquartered in Higashi-Hiroshima, Japan.

Today, Daiso operates thousands of stores in about 25 countries and regions across Asia, Oceania, and the Americas. The brand has a strong presence in Japan, Australia, the United States, Korea, Brazil, Taiwan, Canada, Bahrain, and many other places.

There have been notable events in its history. In 2017, Australia recalled 165 Daiso products due to choking hazards and unknown ingredients. In 2022, Crocs filed a copyright lawsuit related to Daiso’s foam clogs. In 2023, Korea’s Daiso branch became fully Korean-owned after buyback. Taiwan faced regulatory issues between 2011 and 2018 over labeling and permits. Daiso also expanded its pricing approach in 2004 by offering items at multiples of 100 yen.

Daiso uses a unique brand naming system with the morpheme “za” (the Japanese for “the”) to categorize products, such as za hanabi for fireworks and za purasuchikku for plastic items.

Around the world, prices and store formats vary by region. For example, Australia often prices items around AU$3.30, the United States started with very low prices and has since expanded to many items, and Korea operates a large network with hundreds of stores. The first Daiso stores opened in the United States in 2005, and the brand continues to grow in Canada, Brazil, Bahrain, and other markets.

Daiso remains a popular, budget-friendly destination offering a wide range of affordable goods for everyday use.