FamilyMart halts sales of bento linked to crime-tainted restaurant

[Anchorman]

Convenience store chain FamilyMart has announced it will not sell a bento developed jointly with the operator of a restaurant whose workers robbed and raped a female customer this month.

The chain's move, which was announced on Thursday, came after a female customer at the Shinsaibashi outlet of steak chain Pepper Lunch in Osaka was robbed and raped on May 9 by assailants including the manager of the outlet.

FamilyMart officials said they decided not to sell a bento developed with the restaurant's direct operator, Pepper Food Service Co. after judging that the product could harm FamilyMart's image.

"The crime, which offended public order and morals, had an impact on society, and we decided that selling the jointly developed product would have a negative effect on our own company's brand," a FamilyMart representative said.

FamilyMart and Pepper Food Service Co. had planned to launch sales of the bento in the Kanto region this month. (Mainichi)