A latest survey in Japan shows that nearly 1,500 food products will see price increases in November this year, and the total number of food items raising prices in 2026 is expected to exceed 20,000.
Teikoku Databank surveyed 195 major food and beverage manufacturers across Japan about their price-increase intentions. The results show that 1,477 food items will become more expensive in the Japanese market in November, roughly ten times the figure for the same period last year. The affected products are mainly processed foods and beverages, with an average increase of 17%. With this round, the number of food items that have already or will soon raise prices this year reaches 20,327, topping 20,000 for the second consecutive year after 2025.
The surveyed manufacturers attributed the price hikes mainly to rising raw material prices, energy costs and labor costs.
Japanese media report that as food prices climb, many consumers are cutting back on dining out, and restaurant bankruptcies have risen sharply. According to Tokyo Shoko Research, 514 restaurant businesses went bankrupt in the first half of fiscal 2026 (April-September 2026), the highest since records began in 1898.
