TOKYO (Bernama-Kyodo): Fewer women in Japan are planning to give chocolates on Valentine's Day than a year earlier, as rising costs for everyday goods pressure their budgets, according to a recent survey by a market research firm, Kyodo News Agency reported.
In the survey targeting 2,500 women and girls aged from 15 to 79, 42.8 per cent said they have no plans to give chocolates, up 4.0 percentage points from a year prior.
In Japan, women traditionally give a box of chocolates to men, including their romantic partner, father, and coworkers, on Valentine's Day. Some also exchange chocolates with their friends.
Conducted from Jan 14 to 19 by Intage Inc., the results of the survey showed a decline in chocolate gifting across most categories, particularly among family members and colleagues, while fewer women expressed interest in taking part in the practice of giving "obligatory” chocolates at workplaces.
Meanwhile, the proportion of women intending to buy chocolates for themselves remained largely unchanged.
The average spent on Valentine's Day chocolate increased 8.1 per cent to 4,943 yen (US$31.4) but fewer respondents said they want to purchase quality products, in a sign inflation may be pressuring luxury purchases.
A separate survey of chocolate prices by Teikoku Databank Ltd. on Tuesday showed the average cost of a single piece of Valentine's Day chocolate rose 4 per cent over the year to 436 yen, reflecting high cacao prices and import costs due to a weaker yen. It was 355 yen on average in 2022.
-- BERNAMA-KYODO
