Japanese supermarket operator Aeon will cut prices or increase sizes for hundreds of products this month as it looks to shore up demand.

Aeon is hoping to boost spending by budget-conscious shoppers who have been put off by persistent inflation.

The changes will apply to around 500 items, including Aeon's own brand of vegetable oil, mayonnaise and toilet paper.

Officials say the campaign will be paid for with savings from simpler packaging and logistical changes.

Aeon logged a big drop in net profit in the half year through August after raising wages and running earlier rounds of price cuts.

President of Aeon Topvalu, Tsuchiya Mitsuko, said "Under the current situation, if we focus solely on profits, customers will stop buying. We want customers to keep coming back and to spend more."

Other supermarket operators, such as Seiyu and the Japanese Consumers' Co-operative Union, have also run discount campaigns in recent months.