Japanese women may be falling out of love with the 鈥渙bligation chocolates鈥� tradition that sees them gift chocolate to male colleagues and acquaintances on Valentine鈥檚 Day.
The practice, which started in the 1950s, was invented by a chocolate company in a twist on the West鈥檚 version of February 14.
But 鈥済iri choco,鈥� which translates as 鈥渙bligation chocolate,鈥� is starting to lose popularity as women push back against societal and workplace pressure and increasingly buy chocolate for friends or themselves.
from a Japanese department store found about 60 per cent of women will buy chocolates for themselves on Valentine's Day.
Only 35 per cent planned to offer chocolates to their male colleagues.
In the 1980s, confectionary companies introduced White Day on March 14, when men can return the favour and buy a sweet treat for women.
Giving chocolate on Valentine's Day can still be a romantic gesture in Japan and women will often give "honmei choco" or "true feelings chocolate" to their partners.
But Japan is in the midst of a marriage crisis. By 2015, a record 23 per cent of men and 14 per cent of women were unmarried by age 50, according to the .
Last year, Belgian chocolatier Godiva criticized obligation chocolates with a full-page ad calling for an end to the practice.
Japan consumed US$5.39 billion worth of chocolate in 2017, according to a
