One year after the consumption tax hike The financial situation is even more severe due to the impact of the corona October 1, 5:45

The consumption tax rate will be raised from 8% to 10%, and one day will be one year.

The government has decided to use the income from the tax increase to enhance social security, but due to the impact of the new coronavirus, the consumption that is the source of tax revenue has fallen, and spending has swelled, making the financial situation even more difficult.

The consumption tax rate was raised from 8% to 10% on October 1st last year, a year ago.



This is expected to increase sales by about 5.7 trillion yen annually, and the government has decided to use it to enhance social security such as free early childhood education and childcare.



However, consumption, which is the source of tax revenue, has fallen mainly for eating out and traveling since the spread of the new coronavirus infection.



Consumption tax is said to be suitable as a stable financial resource because the fluctuation of tax revenue due to the economy is relatively small compared to income tax and corporate tax, but the impact of the spread of infection, which restricts the movement of people, is large and affects tax revenue. Is a concern.



In addition, the government's spending has increased sharply due to the emergency measures for the new corona, and the financial situation has become even more severe. The challenges are getting more serious.

Large-scale price cuts in the retail industry

With the increase in the consumption tax rate and the spread of the new coronavirus infection, consumers are becoming more conservative, and the retail industry is moving to make large-scale price cuts.



In early September, Seiyu, a major supermarket, reduced the price of 765 food and daily necessities such as retort curry, snacks, and laundry detergent by about 5% on average.



Sales of major items with price cuts are up about 20% compared to the same period last year.



The supermarket has made a major price cut since October last year, when the consumption tax rate was raised, and decided that it was necessary to respond to consumers' desire to save money while the infection could not be resolved.



Toru Araki, vice president of the product division, said, "The saving consciousness that became very strong in October last year has weakened once, but it has become even stronger due to the influence of the new corona. Consumers are becoming more anxious about income. I feel like I am. "



In recent years, the prices of food and daily necessities have been raised one after another in Japan due to rising labor costs, but the retail industry has begun to cut prices because it is necessary to respond to consumers' desire to save money. I will.

Greatly reduced use of eat-in space

The use of eat-in space where you can eat and drink in-store at convenience stores has decreased significantly due to the impact of the consumption tax hike and the spread of the new coronavirus infection.



Due to the increase in the consumption tax rate, the reduced tax rate has been applied to food and beverage products other than alcoholic beverages, and the tax rate has been left unchanged at 8%. , The reduced tax rate does not apply.



According to a survey of consumers conducted by research firm NPD Japan, eat-in sales increased by more than 20% compared to the previous year during the three months from July to September last year, just before the tax increase. However, it decreased by 8% in the three months from October to December immediately after the increase.



Furthermore, during the three months from April, the number of stores that reduced or closed the eat-in space due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection caused a significant drop in usage to minus 45%.



At a convenience store with a pharmacy in Tokyo, we have used it as a place for communication with local residents, such as opening a gymnastics class in a large eat-in space with more than 10 seats, but since April, we have increased the number of seats to 3. It has been reduced to one, and the event is also suspended.



One of the female customers said, "It was a busy and fun place, but now I'm lonely."



This month, the store will resume the event by reducing the number of participants after thoroughly implementing infection control measures such as disinfection.



Daisaku Kaneko of the Lawson Healthcare Partner Promotion Department said, "Eat-in was also the reason for visiting the convenience store, so I would like to restart while paying attention to the infection."