Japan Raids Ice Cream Giants Over Price-Fixing Allegations

Japan’s competition watchdog has conducted raids on several of the country’s largest ice cream manufacturers over allegations that they formed a cartel to raise product prices, Osmond Chia and Chika Nakayama reported for BBC News.

The six companies reportedly inspected were Meiji, Morinaga Milk Industry, Lotte, Morinaga, Ezaki Glico, and Akagi Nyugyo. (Photo: Saraga International Grocery)

Some of the companies involved, including Meiji and Pocky maker Ezaki Glico, confirmed that they were subjected to on-site inspections by the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) as part of an investigation into suspected price-fixing in the frozen dessert market.

The JFTC declined to comment publicly on the investigation.

Authorities suspect that the companies may have raised ice cream prices beyond what could be justified by increases in raw material costs, even as Japan experiences unusually high summer temperatures.

The six companies reportedly inspected were Meiji, Morinaga Milk Industry, Lotte, Morinaga, Ezaki Glico, and Akagi Nyugyo.

According to Japanese broadcaster NHK, citing anonymous sources, the companies allegedly increased prices on popular frozen desserts several times by between 5 percent and 10 percent over a number of years.