A total of 3,024 food and beverage items will see price increases in October, with beverages making up the bulk of the increase. Kanto Smart Living Cooperative offers three money-saving tips, teaching consumers how to improve their daily drinking habits and stay healthy.
TOKYO, JAPAN (MERXWIRE) – Autumn is a season when people’s appetites whet, but consumers are facing relentless pressure from rising food and beverage prices. According to a recent survey by Teikoku Databank, a total of 3,024 food and beverage items will see price increases in October 2025, with an average increase of 17% per item. Compared to the same period last year, the number of items experiencing price increases increased by 100, totaling 3.4%. This marks the tenth consecutive month of year-on-year price increases and the longest streak of price increases since statistics began in 2022.
The “Alcoholic Beverages and General Drinks” category saw the largest price increase, with 2,262 items, or 74%, accounting for the total. These items primarily include shochu, liqueurs, and sake. Furthermore, some vending machine beverage prices will be adjusted to approximately 200 yen, sparking consumer concern.
It is understood that the primary cause of this price increase is not simply the depreciation of the yen, but rather a combination of factors, including soaring raw material prices, rising utility bills, labor shortages, and increased logistics costs.
Reviewing data released in September, the top five food items with the highest price increases over the past five years were rice, with prices more than tripling compared to five years ago. This was followed by coffee beans, chocolate, juice, and dried seaweed. Two of these items are beverages and their raw materials.
Faced with the significant price increases for beverages, many consumers expressed growing pressure on the cost of living. A salaryman from Tokyo’s Koto Ward said, “It used to be common to buy a bottle of green tea or coffee every day, but now a bottle costs 200 yen, which is really unaffordable. I’ve recently started bringing my own kettle to make tea, which saves money.”
A housewife with two school-age children said, “My kids love juice, but supermarket juice prices keep going up. I’ve switched to making my own juice with seasonal fruit. It’s not only cheaper, but also safer, and I get my kids involved in the process.”
Regarding the recent sharp rise in beverage prices, the Kanto Smart Living Cooperative stated, “With small lifestyle changes, you can still save money even with soaring beverage prices.” They also offered three practical suggestions to help consumers adjust their daily consumption habits to save money.
First, brewing your own green tea or oolong tea is recommended. Buying large packages of tea and brewing it at home is not only healthy and additive-free, but it can also effectively reduce beverage costs in the long run. Second, using seasonal fruit with a blender to make homemade drinks is both nutritious and affordable. You can also choose more affordable options depending on the fruit’s season. Finally, through community group buying or joining a cooperative, you can obtain large quantities of tea, coffee beans and other beverage ingredients through collective purchasing, and then package and carry them yourself. This will not only further reduce costs, but also help reduce the environmental burden caused by disposable packaging.
Media Contacts:
Kanto Smart Living Cooperative
PR Agency:
MERXWIRE INC.
Ada Huang
pr@merxwire.com
SOURCE: Kanto Smart Living Cooperative
