Persistently high raw material and packaging material prices, and a shift toward lower prices and frugality
First written in FY2016. 21 of 36 entries say "Worsened", first in FY2017-Q1. Latest entry: 2026-08-12.
Fukutome Meat Packers moved to the "Worse" side of this theme in 2020, 2 years after the typical company in this theme (2018).
The whole theme swung hardest in 2022: 15 of 21 companies on the "Worse" side.
4 other companies' latest entry also says "Worsened".
- 2026-08-12WorsenedEarnings
「In addition to raw material prices and various expenses remaining high, soaring labor costs placed significantly greater pressure on corporate earnings than expected. Consumer preference for lower prices also strengthened amid rising prices, intensifying price competition with competitors.」
The disclosure states that high raw material prices and other expenses, soaring labor costs, stronger preference for lower prices and intensified price competition placed greater-than-expected pressure on corporate earnings. - FY2026WorsenedAnnual report
「In addition to persistently high raw material prices and other expenses, surging personnel costs and difficulty securing personnel significantly weighed on corporate earnings. As consumers became more focused on protecting their household budgets, price competition with competitors intensified further.」
The statement says that, in addition to the existing high costs of raw materials and various other costs, surging personnel costs, difficulty securing personnel, heightened concern about household finances, and further intensification of price competition significantly weighed on corporate earnings. - FY2026-H1WorsenedAnnual report
「In addition to persistently high raw material prices and other expenses, surging personnel costs and difficulty securing personnel significantly weighed on corporate earnings. As consumers became more focused on protecting their household budgets, price competition with competitors intensified further.」
The statement explicitly identifies persistently high raw material prices and other expenses, surging personnel costs, difficulty securing personnel, and further intensification of competition, and says that these factors significantly weighed on corporate earnings. - FY2025WorsenedAnnual report
「The industry also continues to face surging raw material prices and persistent upward pressure on various costs. Further intensification of price competition with competitors is a concern, and the outlook is expected to remain uncertain and challenging.」
In addition to upward pressure from higher raw material prices and various costs, the statement explicitly identifies further intensification of price competition and says that challenging conditions will continue. It also states that following price revisions, sales volumes of core products for mass retailers declined substantially. - FY2025-H1RestatedAnnual report
「Higher raw material, energy, and logistics costs are weighing on corporate earnings. Consumer preference for low prices and frugality, driven by anxiety about the economic outlook, intensified further, while intensifying price competition with competitors and rising labor costs caused by labor shortages and other factors also affected the business, leaving the operating environment challenging.」
The existing pressures of higher raw material, energy, and logistics costs, consumer frugality, price competition, and rising labor costs caused by labor shortages continue to be identified. - FY2024WorsenedAnnual report
「Consumer frugality, intensifying competition with industry peers, and surging raw material prices and energy costs have continued, while labor and logistics costs have also remained elevated. Conditions remain extremely challenging.」
Continued frugality, intensifying competition, and surging raw material, energy, labor, and logistics costs are identified, and the industry environment is described as “extremely challenging.” - FY2024-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「Higher raw material, energy, and logistics costs are weighing on corporate earnings. Consumer preference for low prices and frugality intensified further because of anxiety about the outlook resulting from concerns over further inflation, while intensifying price competition with competitors and rising labor costs caused by labor shortages and other factors also affected the business. The operating environment remained challenging.」
Continued pressure from higher raw material, energy, and logistics costs, consumer frugality, price competition, and rising labor costs caused by labor shortages is identified. - FY2024-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「Higher raw material, energy, and logistics costs are weighing on corporate earnings. Consumer preference for low prices and frugality, driven by anxiety about the economic outlook, intensified further, while intensifying price competition with competitors and rising labor costs caused by labor shortages and other factors also affected the business, leaving the operating environment challenging.」
Continued pressure from higher raw material, energy, and logistics costs, consumer frugality, price competition, and rising labor costs caused by labor shortages is identified. - FY2023-Q3WorsenedAnnual report
「Sharp increases in raw material, energy, and logistics costs are weighing on corporate earnings. Consumer preference for frugality, driven by repeated price increases accompanying inflation and anxiety about the economic outlook, intensified further, while intensifying price competition with competitors and declining consumer sentiment also affected the business, leaving the operating environment challenging.」
The increases in raw material, energy, and logistics costs are described as “substantial.” The statement also explicitly notes increasingly stringent consumer frugality and declining consumer sentiment. - FY2023-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「Higher raw material, energy, and logistics costs are weighing on corporate earnings. Consumer preference for frugality, driven by repeated price increases accompanying inflation and anxiety about the economic outlook, intensified further, while intensifying price competition with competitors and rising labor costs caused by labor shortages and other factors also affected the business, leaving the operating environment challenging.」
The statement explicitly identifies pressure on corporate earnings from higher raw material, energy, and logistics costs, as well as increasingly stringent consumer frugality, price competition, and higher labor costs caused by labor shortages. - FY2023-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「Higher raw material, energy, and logistics costs are weighing on corporate earnings. Consumer preference for low prices and frugality, driven by anxiety about the economic outlook, intensified further, while intensifying price competition with competitors and rising labor costs caused by labor shortages and other factors also affected the business, leaving the operating environment challenging.」
The statement says that higher raw material, energy, and logistics costs are weighing on corporate earnings and that consumer preference for low prices and frugality has intensified further. - FY2022WorsenedAnnual report
「The industry also continues to face sharp increases and surges in raw material prices and energy costs that exceed expectations. It needs to respond to the stable supply of products to the market and changes in consumer purchasing behavior while minimizing the impact on the operating environment.」
The increase in raw material prices and energy costs is described as a “sharp increase and surge exceeding expectations,” indicating mounting pressure. - FY2022-Q3WorsenedAnnual report
「Although the shift toward in-home consumption remained firm due to the prolonged impact of COVID-19, consumer preference for low prices and frugality, driven by anxiety about the outlook, intensified. The industry remained in a challenging environment due to intensifying price competition with competitors, higher raw material prices, and increases in power and packaging material costs resulting from surging crude oil prices.」
Consumer preference for low prices and frugality intensified, while price competition, higher raw material prices, and increases in power and packaging material costs resulting from higher crude oil prices are identified as pressures. - FY2022-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「Although the shift toward in-home consumption remained firm amid the spread of COVID-19, consumer preference for low prices and frugality, driven by anxiety about the outlook, intensified. The industry remained in a challenging environment due to intensifying price competition with competitors, higher prices for some raw materials, and increases in power and packaging material costs resulting from surging crude oil prices.」
Against a backdrop of continued consumer preference for low prices and frugality, intensifying price competition, and higher prices for some raw materials, increases in power and packaging material costs resulting from surging crude oil prices are explicitly identified as a new pressure. - FY2022-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「Consumer preference for low prices and frugality, driven by declining consumer sentiment and anxiety about the outlook amid the spread of COVID-19, intensified. The operating environment remained challenging due to intensifying price competition with competitors, higher prices for some raw materials, and rising labor costs caused by labor shortages and other factors.」
Consumer preference for low prices and frugality intensified, while price competition and increases in raw material prices and labor costs continued to weigh on the operating environment. - FY2021-Q3WorsenedAnnual report
「Changes in consumer behavior and market structure accompanied the spread of infections. While demand for in-home meals, described as “stay-at-home consumption,” became more active, foodservice products continued to struggle because foodservice demand weakened as requests to suspend business operations were issued following the increase in COVID-19 cases from November onward. Consumer preference for low prices and frugality, driven by anxiety about the outlook, intensified, and the operating environment remained challenging.」
Although demand for in-home meals became more active, weak foodservice demand caused by the increase in infections and requests to suspend business operations continued to weigh on foodservice products, while preference for low prices and frugality also intensified. - FY2021-Q2WorsenedAnnual report
「Changes in consumer behavior and market structure accompanied the spread of infections. While demand for in-home meals, described as “stay-at-home consumption,” increased, foodservice products continued to struggle because of weak foodservice demand. Consumer preference for low prices and frugality, driven by anxiety about the outlook, intensified, and the operating environment remained challenging.」
Consumer preference for low prices and frugality is described as having intensified, while foodservice products continued to struggle because of weak foodservice demand. - FY2021-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「Although stay-at-home demand remained firm as working from home and similar measures were encouraged, consumers' preference for low prices and frugality intensified. The operating environment remained challenging due to intensifying price competition with competitors, higher imported raw material prices, and rising labor and logistics costs caused by labor shortages and other factors.」
Although stay-at-home demand remained firm, consumer preference for low prices and frugality intensified. Price competition, higher imported raw material prices, and rising labor and logistics costs are identified as pressures. - FY2020-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The industry remained in a challenging environment, as consumers continued to favor low prices and frugality, while manufacturing and other costs rose with increases in the prices of some input materials, labor and logistics costs increased due to labor shortages, and domestic beef market prices remained high.」
Continued high domestic beef market prices, together with consumer preference for low prices and frugality and higher raw material, labor and logistics costs, are identified as business-environment pressures. - FY2020-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The industry remained in a challenging environment, as consumers continued to favor low prices and frugality, while manufacturing and other costs rose with increases in the prices of some input materials, labor and logistics costs increased due to labor shortages, and the continued high level of domestic beef market prices and the impact of African swine fever also weighed on conditions.」
Continued pressure from consumer preference for low prices and frugality, higher raw material, labor and logistics costs, high domestic beef market prices, and the impact of African swine fever is identified. - FY2020-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「The industry remained in a challenging environment, as consumers continued to favor low prices and frugality, while manufacturing and other costs rose with increases in the prices of some input materials, labor and logistics costs increased due to labor shortages, and the continued high level of domestic beef market prices and developments related to African swine fever also had an impact.」
The existing pressures of consumer preference for low prices and frugality, higher raw material, labor and logistics costs, and high domestic beef market prices have continued. - FY2019-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The industry remained in a challenging environment, as consumers continued to favor low prices and frugality, while manufacturing and other costs rose with increases in the prices of some input materials, labor and logistics costs increased due to labor shortages, and domestic beef market prices remained high.」
Continued pressure from consumer preference for low prices and frugality, input materials, labor and logistics costs, and high domestic beef market prices is identified. - FY2019-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The industry remained in a challenging environment, as consumers continued to favor low prices and frugality, while manufacturing and other costs rose with increases in the prices of some input materials, labor and logistics costs increased due to labor shortages, and domestic beef market prices remained high.」
Continued pressure from consumer preference for low prices and frugality, input materials, labor and logistics costs, and high domestic beef market prices is identified. - FY2019-Q1RestatedAnnual report
「The industry remained in a challenging environment, as consumers continued to favor low prices and frugality, while manufacturing and other costs rose with increases in the prices of some input materials, labor and logistics costs increased due to labor shortages, and domestic beef market prices remained high.」
Continued pressure from consumer preference for low prices and frugality, input materials, labor and logistics costs, and high domestic beef market prices is identified. - FY2018WorsenedAnnual report
「Domestic economic conditions are expected to remain challenging, with the outlook still uncertain due to rising manufacturing costs, including raw material and power costs, intensifying competition among companies, and employment issues.」
In addition to existing pressures from raw material prices, consumer preference for low prices, and intensifying competition, the company identifies manufacturing cost increases, including higher power costs and employment issues. - FY2018-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「The industry remained in a challenging environment, as consumers increasingly favored low prices, price competition with competitors intensified, and domestic meat market prices remained high.」
Continued pressure from consumer preference for low prices, intensifying competition, and persistently high domestic meat market prices is identified. Price and market-price increases, as well as intensifying competition, are described as actual business conditions. - FY2018-Q2RestatedAnnual report
「The industry remained in a challenging environment, as consumers increasingly favored low prices, price competition with competitors intensified, and domestic meat market prices remained high.」
Continued pressure from consumer preference for low prices, intensifying competition, and persistently high domestic meat market prices is identified. Price and market-price increases are described as actual business conditions. - FY2018-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「The industry remained in a challenging environment, as consumers continued to favor low prices and frugality, while manufacturing and other costs rose with increases in the prices of some input materials, labor and logistics costs increased due to labor shortages, and domestic meat prices also surged.」
Continued consumer preference for low prices and frugality, higher input material prices, and increased labor and logistics costs due to labor shortages are identified as pressures. - FY2017Additional risk factorAnnual report
「Although packaging materials are used for most of the group’s principal products and purchased products, the main packaging materials are petrochemical products and may be affected by fluctuations in oil prices.」
In addition to the persistently high prices of raw materials and packaging materials and consumers’ preference for low prices, the company explicitly identified the risk that packaging-material prices may fluctuate with oil prices. - FY2017-Q3RestatedAnnual report
「In the industry, the environment remained challenging as imported raw material prices stabilized, but domestic beef prices remained high, consumers’ preference for low prices persisted and price competition with rival companies intensified.」
While imported raw material prices remained stable, high domestic beef prices, consumers’ preference for low prices and intensifying competition continued to be identified as sources of pressure. - FY2017-Q2Change in the composition of upward-pressure factorsAnnual report
「In the industry, the environment remained challenging as imported raw material prices stabilized, but domestic beef prices remained high, consumers’ preference for low prices persisted and price competition with rival companies intensified.」
While imported raw material prices were stable, high domestic beef prices, consumers’ preference for low prices and intensifying competition were identified as new and continuing sources of pressure, indicating a change in the composition of risk factors. The source text describes the price increases and price competition as actual features of the business environment. - FY2017-Q1WorsenedAnnual report
「In the industry, the environment remained challenging as manufacturing costs and other expenses rose due to persistently high prices for primary raw materials and packaging materials, while consumers’ preference for low prices and savings remained entrenched, and domestic meat prices also rose sharply.」
The persistently high prices of raw materials and packaging materials and consumers’ preference for saving continued, while the sharp rise in domestic meat prices was also newly identified. - FY2016First statedAnnual report
「Manufacturing costs and other expenses rose as prices for primary raw materials and packaging materials remained high. In addition, consumers’ preference for low prices and savings remained entrenched as prices rose following the consumption tax increase, resulting in a persistently challenging environment.」
The company stated that higher manufacturing costs and consumers’ preference for saving were actual features of the business environment during the fiscal year.