TOKYO, August 22, 2026, 06:15 JST
- Rakuten Pay will offer up to 10% back at 26 grocery and drugstore groups.
- The headline rate includes up to 1.5% in existing payment rewards.
- Five month-end Sundays carry the highest rate through December 27.
Rakuten Pay will lift code-payment rewards to 10% at participating supermarkets and drugstores on five Sundays. The offer spans 26 retail groups and begins August 30. Yet only 8.5 percentage points are incremental for users who already earn the service’s maximum 1.5% payment reward.
That distinction matters at checkout. A ¥10,000 qualifying purchase earns up to 1,000 points under the offer. Of that amount, as many as 150 points would have come from the existing payment program.
Rakuten Payment, owned by Rakuten Group (TYO:4755), is pairing the larger Sunday reward with a smaller promotion on dates containing the number five. Both offers use the Rakuten Pay app’s code-payment function. Neither requires advance entry.
| Rakuten Pay offer | Maximum reward | Eligible timing | Reward cap | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Sunday | 10% including up to 1.5% existing reward | Five specified Sundays | 2,000 points per eligible day | Not required |
| Dates ending in 5 | 3% including up to 1.5% existing reward | 5th, 15th and 25th | 2,000 points per month | Not required |
| Welcome and return | 500 points | Monthly qualifying period | 500 points once | Required |
The 10% campaign runs through December 27. The 3% track starts September 5 and ends December 25. Store participation and timing can differ, while some products and services are excluded.
| Month | 10% final-Sunday date | 3% dates ending in 5 |
|---|---|---|
| August | August 30 | Not included |
| September | September 27 | September 5, 15 and 25 |
| October | October 25 | October 5, 15 and 25 |
| November | November 29 | November 5, 15 and 25 |
| December | December 27 | December 5, 15 and 25 |
The calendar creates 17 promotional shopping dates. Five carry the larger rate. On October 25, the two date rules overlap, but Rakuten’s announcement does not promise additive rewards. Users should not assume a 13% return.
The 2,000-point daily cap limits the 10% benefit after ¥20,000 of qualifying spend. Reaching the monthly cap at the 3% maximum would require about ¥66,667. Those calculations assume the full stated rate applies.
| Eligible final-Sunday spend | Total points at 10% | Existing 1.5% component | Promotional uplift |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¥5,000 | 500 | 75 | 425 |
| ¥10,000 | 1,000 | 150 | 850 |
| ¥20,000 | 2,000 | 300 | 1,700 |
| Above ¥20,000 | Capped at 2,000 | Varies | No additional campaign points |
Rakuten’s standard code-payment reward reaches 1.5% only when its conditions are met. The rate can fall to 1% if a user does not present an eligible Rakuten Point Card at least twice during the applicable count period. Separate point-card rewards may vary by retailer.
A third offer targets new or dormant users. They receive 500 points after entry and at least ¥2,500 of code payments in the selected month. Rakuten defines a returning user as someone without code-payment activity during the previous three months.
The structure points to a retention push. Grocery and pharmacy visits happen often, while recurring calendar dates can train users to open the same wallet. That is an inference from the campaign design; Rakuten disclosed no usage or market-share target.
Risks: Rakuten may change or end the offers early if their point budgets are exhausted. Qualifying stores vary, rewards arrive about two months later, and the limited points expire roughly two months after issuance.
For shoppers, timing beats loyalty alone. The biggest gain comes from moving a planned basket to one of five Sundays, then checking that the store and payment method qualify.
