Japanese authorities have searched the headquarters of six leading ice cream producers on suspicion of coordinating price increases. The Japan Fair Trade Commission carried out the raids at Akagi Nyugyo, Ezaki Glico, Lotte, Meiji, Morinaga Milk Industry and Morinaga & Co over possible breaches of antimonopoly rules. All six firms confirmed they are cooperating with the inquiry. Investigators believe the companies used rising food costs as cover to lift prices by more than justified by higher raw material expenses. Reports indicate senior managers held meetings and exchanged messages over several years to align the timing and size of retail price hikes for ice cream and frozen desserts. NHK television showed that prices of popular products from Meiji and Morinaga Milk rose in parallel on four occasions between mid-2022 and September 2025. This marks the first known JFTC probe into an alleged cartel in the ice cream sector. Sales of ice cream and frozen snacks reached a record 663 billion yen last fiscal year amid hotter summers. Japan has recorded frequent extreme temperatures, prompting officials to introduce the term kokusho for days above 40C. Supply problems with air-conditioner components linked to regional tensions have added further pressure ahead of the season.
