Over 800 food items carry higher price tags in Japan from Nov.

Jiji Press

16:56 JST, November 1, 2022

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Following a massive wave of price hikes in Japan in October, the prices of 833 food items will be higher from November, according to a survey by credit research firm Teikoku Databank Ltd. released on Tuesday.

The survey covered major food makers’ price hike plans as of the end of October.

On Tuesday, the first day of November, major dairy firms will implement price hikes for milk and dairy products due to higher raw milk prices amid surging feed costs.

Among them, Meiji Co., Morinaga Milk Industry Co. and Megmilk Snow Brand Co. will raise prices for a total of 262 items.

Shipping prices for milk and other products will be raised by 2.8% to 10.2%.

The price of Meiji’s mainstay 400-gram yogurt product, Meiji Bulgaria Yogurt LB81 Plain, will rise by around ¥11 to ¥292. Morinaga’s Bifidus and Megmilk’s Megumi yogurt will also get price increases.

The price of Meiji’s baby formula product will also rise on Tuesday, while Morinaga’s formula is set to face a price hike in December.

Among other food products, Calbee Inc.’s Kappa Ebisen shrimp-flavored snack products will have another price hike.

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. will raise the price of its Oronamin C drink product for the first time in 25 years, from ¥114 to ¥130.

The number of products to face price hikes in November will be far smaller than October’s 6,699, the largest total this year.

A Teikoku Databank official said, however, that milk prices rising above ¥200 in November will have “as great psychological impact as in October.”