Retailers are lowering prices to attract customers, a trend noticeably strong at food and clothing stores as well as restaurant and fast-food chains.
Low-price products must be welcome to households that are tightening their purse strings in the face of summer bonus cuts and the nation's rising unemployment. Consumers are becoming more conscientious about searching for bargains and getting the maximum value out of their money.
Large supermarkets are selling "third beer," a beer-like alcoholic beverage, for around ¥100 a can. These are not sacrifice-sale products sold at a loss but rather private brand products specially developed by alcoholic beverage makers in cooperation with the supermarkets. Some supermarkets have been converted into discount stores and are selling vegetables and other foodstuffs at 10 percent to 30 percent cheaper than usual.