Tsuruha's online shop showed 'regular prices' that nobody had paid

Tsuruha Group Merchandising, the merchandising arm of Japan's biggest drugstore group, runs the group's online store, 'Tsuruha Group e-shop Honten'. From 26 February to 7 June 2025, 79 products there — hand soaps, masks, baby food, pet food, household cleaners — were listed with a 'special price' next to a 'regular price': Kao Biore u foaming hand soap refill at 'Special Price ¥498' against 'Regular Price ¥612', a Lion KireiKirei dispenser set at ¥1,955 against ¥2,418.

The regular prices had no reality behind them: the CAA found no sales record for any of the 79 products at those amounts over a considerable recent period. Nobody had been paying the anchor price, so the displayed saving was invented. The agency ruled the displays misleading about advantageous terms — shoppers were made to believe they were getting a genuine discount against a real standard price.

On 28 November 2025 the CAA issued a measure order: publicly notify consumers that the displays were misleading, prevent recurrence, and stop similar representations. The company said it accepted the matter sincerely, had not realised the displays violated the law, and would prevent recurrence through internal training.