The grocery squeeze continues...

Grocery shopping is one of those parts of life where I notice price changes pretty quickly. A few yen here and there might not sound like much, but when prices keep creeping up across so many basic foods it can make a noticeable difference to the weekly budget.

I saw an article via the Japan Times this morning, mentioning that average retail prices for pork and chicken reached record highs in August based on data from the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Ministry. The figures are the highest recorded since the survey began in 2003, so we can just add it to the list of growing everyday expenses over recent years.

The ministry said the weaker yen has pushed up the price of imported pork and chicken, which has increased demand for domestic products and contributed to higher prices for those too. Imported and domestic beef, as well as eggs, also remained above their average prices for the past five years.

For households like my own who are already juggling higher food, energy, and other living costs, there doesn't seem to be much relief in sight!