Japan faces a wave of price hikes for essential goods including diapers, hygiene products, and cooking oil
According to reports from Japanese media outlets such as Ashiya Shimbun and TBS News on May 19: Kao Corporation and Oji Paper have announced price increases for diapers, feminine hygiene products, toilet paper, and other items. The reason cited is a sharp rise in the cost of naphtha—a petrochemical raw material derived from crude oil.
Due to deteriorating conditions in the Middle East leading to disruptions in naphtha supply, the impact has spread to everyday essential goods.
Products like diapers and sanitary pads use non-woven fabric and superabsorbent polymers, while surfactants found in detergents and cosmetics are largely derived from naphtha. Kao plans to gradually raise prices for laundry detergent "Attack" and skincare products "Biore" starting in July, and will increase prices for monthly-use items such as "Laurier" beginning in September.
In response to a question from Yomiuri Shimbun, Kao stated that the price hike is “a necessary measure to ensure stable supply of essential goods.”
Oji Paper announced that it will raise prices for all household and commercial products—including disposable diapers "Goon" and feminine hygiene products "Elis"—by over 15% starting in August.
Cooking oil manufacturers have already begun considering price adjustments. Hirotaka Hisano, President of Nissin Oil Group, said: “Given the need to maintain stable supply, I believe we will explain the necessity and carry out price adjustments accordingly.”
The escalating situation in the Middle East has accelerated cost increases; Nissin Oil has already announced two price adjustments for cooking oil this year.
Shokado Industry Co., a cooking oil manufacturer, believes that packaging materials and other input costs are expected to rise further in the future, so these costs should be gradually passed on to product prices.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1865601013667916/
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