TOKYO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Amid the inflation-driven cost of living crisis in Japan, some convenience stores on Wednesday said they will counter the trend of soaring prices and make cheaper items available to cash-strapped consumers.

While some stores have found it difficult to make more affordable goods available owing to inflation here surging to its highest level in decades, some of them have decided lowering their prices might spur slumping consumption.

Seven-Eleven is one such convenience store, announcing that its lower-priced private label goods will see stock and on-shelf availability increased, with items such as bread and tofu set to be among others in the stores' lower priced line-up.

Public broadcaster NHK here quoted the director responsible for merchandising strategy at Seven-Eleven Japan as saying that he wants customers to know that not everything sold at convenience stores is expensive, and the company will continue taking this approach.

Another major convenience store Lawson in a joint venture with high street retail heavyweight Muji, said it plans to lower prices of some stationary and cosmetics at its branches, in a move similar to Seven-Eleven's, NHK said.

Lawson Store 100, meanwhile, known for its range of budget food items costing 100 yen (less than 1 U.S. dollar), has said it will follow suit and widen the range of its low-cost goods.

FamilyMart, for its part, as consumers and households nationwide have been forced to tighten their purse strings amid the global cost of living crisis, will lower the prices of basic goods including toilet paper, it said, according to NHK. Enditem

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