Japan's fair trade watchdog has raided six major ice cream manufacturers on suspicion of price fixing. The Fair Trade Commission suspects these leading companies fixed the prices of popular frozen treats.
The investigation into alleged cartel pricing comes as Japan faces record summer temperatures, which have resulted in record sales for the industry. These events follow years of near-simultaneous price hikes across several ice cream companies.
Authorities believe that the companies' actions in raising suggested retail prices may have affected wholesale prices and subsequently raised costs for consumers.