Women in Japan are ditching a tradition in which they must give chocolate to male co-workers on Valentines’ Day.
The tradition, named giri choco, started in the 1950s and translates as "obligation chocolates".
Women in the workplace are expected to buy chocolate for their male colleagues as part of the ritual.
Men are then required to return the favour the following month on White Day.
However more women are choosing to opt out of the tradition and purchase gifts for themselves instead, according to the Japan Times.
A survey found that 60 per cent of women said they would purchase chocolate for themselves on February 14 as a treat.
While over 56 per cent said they would give a sweet treat to family members, according to the poll by a department store in Tokyo.
Only 35 per cent of women said they planned to hand out chocolate to men at their workplace.
In 2018, chocolatier Godiva ran a full page advert in a Japanese newspaper, calling for the tradition of giri choco to end.
It said: “Valentine’s Day is supposed to be a day when you tell someone your pure feelings. It’s not a day on which you’re supposed to do something extra for the sake of smooth relations at work.
“So men, especially if you’re the top person in your company, tell the women in your office ‘don’t force yourself to give anyone giri choco.’”
