After a store bundled face masks with expensive items and sold them as a set, Japan Fair Trade Commission secretary general Shuichi Sugahisa said it "could be problematic under antitrust laws" at a regular press conference on Wednesday. The Antimonopoly Law bans such activities as tie-in sales.
He said that in general, "it could be a problem if customers are forced to buy other goods [along with masks] when there are no alternatives due to supply being short."
"If any conduct is found to be problematic under the law, we conduct necessary investigations and take appropriate measures, " he added. But he also said combining multiple products is not a problem in itself.
As the new coronavirus spread, one drugstore reportedly sold masks in combination with expensive products. The retailer has already stopped bundling the products.
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