Japan: Asahi to increase beer prices among other major food and beverage producers in Japan

Major food and beverage producers in Japan are planning to increase prices for 4,225 products in April, Teikoku Databank said on March 31.

The number of food and beverage items subject to price hikes will go up year on year for the fourth straight month to top 4,000 for the first time since October 2023, a survey by the private research firm showed.

"Rising wages and logistics costs are increasingly putting upward pressure on prices," a Teikoku Databank official said. The firm forecasts price hikes for around 20,000 products in total this year, up sharply from last year's 12,520.

Among the 195 companies, all leading producers of beers and quasi-beers will raise their prices for the first time in 1½ years. Asahi Breweries will raise prices for its Super Dry beer and 225 other products, and Suntory Spirits will lift the price of its 350-milliliter "Kinmugi" beer-like drink to around ¥196 from around ¥184 for sale at convenience stores.

Hams and sausages made by Prima Meat Packers and Marudai Food will also weigh more on family finances, and so will edible oils including the 1-liter Nisshin Canola Oil of Nisshin Oillio Group, whose selling price will go up by some 11%.

Reflecting higher producer rice prices in the country, TableMark is set to implement price hikes for all 22 packed cooked rice items for household use.

Commenting on the second markup this year after one in January, a company spokesman said, "With rice prices remaining high even after the government's release of its reserved rice, we cannot be optimistic about a future (rice) price trend."

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