Tokyo: Prices for a total of 4,634 food and beverage items from 195 major Japanese makers will rise in October, more than double the 2,148 items in the previous month, research firm Teikoku Databank Ltd. said Friday.
The suggested retail price of a 2-liter bottle of Ito En Ltd.’s “Oi Ocha” tea will be raised to 437 yen from 410 yen.
The price of a 2-liter bottle of Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd.’s “Suntory Tennensui” mineral water and that of a 1.5-liter bottle of Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Inc.’s namesake beverage will be both hiked by about 30 yen.
Price rises will also hit processed foods, such as sausages from Prima Meat Packers Ltd. and Itoham Foods Inc. Edible oil maker J-Oil Mills Inc. and others will raise olive oil prices due to poor harvests in Europe.
The prices of so-called third-segment beer-like beverages will go up after liquor tax is revised on Sunday, with 350-milliliter cans subject to a tax increase of 9.19 yen. Among such products, Kirin Brewery Co.’s 350-milliliter “Honkirin” and Suntory Spirits Ltd.’s 350-milliliter “Kinmugi” are expected to sell for some 182 yen at convenience stores, up from some 173 yen at present.
On the other hand, the liquor tax on 350-milliliter cans of beer will be cut by 6.65 yen. Asahi Breweries Ltd.’s Super Dry and Sapporo Breweries Ltd.’s Black Label are expected to be priced at some 225 yen, down from some 231 yen.
The number of food items subject to price increases will fall for the third straight month in October on a year-on-year basis, as the prices of some items, mainly beer, will be reduced.
Teikoku Databank now expects prices for around 32,000 food and beverage items to be raised in 2023, down from its previous forecast for 35,000 items.
JIJI Press
