Japan to Raise Prices on Nearly 5,000 Food and Drink Items in September, Highest in Over 3 Years
MacroCommodityDigital Finance
A survey by Teikoku Databank shows that 4,923 food and beverage products in Japan are scheduled for price increases in September, more than triple the number from the same period last year and the highest monthly figure in over three years. The main cause is the surge in crude oil and naphtha prices due to the conflict in the Middle East, which has raised packaging material costs. Higher personnel costs, transportation expenses, and import costs stemming from the yen's depreciation are also contributing factors. The figure is up from 1,467 items in September last year and is the highest since April 2023. Seasoning products account for the largest share of increases at 1,959 items, followed by processed foods at 1,848 items. It is expected that more than 3,000 items will see price hikes in October, while for the full year 2026, the number of items with price increases is expected to exceed the 20,609 items in 2025.
