Retailers are looking for ways to ease consumer discontent over perceived price rises following a tax rule change that took effect April 1.
Kiyonori Ota, president of the major supermarket chain Maruetsu Inc., said Friday, "We have started studying countermeasures."
The rule change requires retailers to include the 5 percent consumption tax in posted prices. Many consumers regard the tax-inclusive prices as effective price increases.
Ota said consumers feel as if prices have actually been raised when they see, for example, a tax-inclusive price of 141 yen instead of the 135 yen that was shown before the change.
"A price of up to 140 yen would be fine, but the addition of even 1 yen makes many people feel the product is expensive," Ota said.
An official at another supermarket chain said that although retailers need to see whether consumers are accustomed to tax-inclusive prices before taking any countermeasures, "It is more difficult than expected" to make such a judgment.
The new pricing practice is also affecting wholesalers, which have been asked by retailers for price reductions.
Teikoku Databank Ltd. surveyed 500 such wholesalers and found that about half of them have cut their prices as a result.
Wholesale prices were lowered by many suppliers of such products as textiles, home appliances, furniture and building materials because they are not in a position to reject demands from retailers, a Teikoku Databank official said.