Going up to 10%
By Denise
@petatonicsca (7070)
Japan
September 28, 2019 12:42am CST
On October 1, the sales tax in Japan is going up from 8% to 10%. Stores and companies have been preparing for this for months by cutting down the size of packaging but charging the same. (They also did this when it went fro 5% to 8%.)
For example, the powdered laundry detergent I buy was in a 1.2 kilo package two years ago. It went down to 1.0, then 900 grams, now 810 grams for the same price.
Bottled drinks have been cut from 500 ml to 470 and now to 430 or 440.
People are buying a lot during September and stocking up. I am betting that stores are going to put on big sales in October but unfortunately the sizes of the things they are selling will be smaller.
It's "value added tax" which means that everyone along the supply line also pays 10%, and all that gets pushed off on customers.
Has your country had to cope with increasing sales tax?
4 people like this
3 responses
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
30 Sep 19
Lol, my height is not going up either. I lost point one cm this year.
@JudyEv (382693)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Sep 19
I haven't heard about any increases. It's annoying when they cut down the sizes but charge the same. I guess they think you won't notice.
@JudyEv (382693)
• Rockingham, Australia
30 Sep 19
@petatonicsca They think they're smart. They put biscuits in a plastic container affair that stops short of the ends of the packet, etc etc. And the matchbox stays the same size but now it only holds 45 or perhaps 50 matches instead of 60.
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
30 Sep 19
Haha, they are wrong then. We all notice. Especially last time when they cut down the processed cheese from four to three squares...
1 person likes this
@psanasangma (7910)
• India
28 Sep 19
In my country they do add tax in many items. However like detergent, shampoos there are varieties of packets and none are without free tax
@petatonicsca (7070)
• Japan
30 Sep 19
You mean free of tax so you don't pay on them or they all have tax?
