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This morning (at least where I live) the top headline when I got up to look at the TBS news was as follows (source). Please correct my attempt if there is an error.

【現場から、】１０％の暮らし、駄菓子の“おまけ”で苦肉の策

[Live on location...] The 10% consumption tax hike on the cost of living, cheap candy with "something extra" included as a last resort

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10%の暮らし is "life/living (in the world) with the 10% (sales tax rate)". 暮らし is just "life", not "cost of living".

駄菓子のおまけで苦肉の策 is not "an おまけ is included as a last resort" but "someone had to take a last-resort measure regarding their おまけ". You have to read the main article to get this meaning. You can see how the maker had to conceal the whistle part of their product to keep the tax rate low.

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  • Thanks for the reply. There are instances where 暮らし can have the meaning of "cost of living", according to jisho.org : 暮らしに響く1. to affect the cost of living. I do not possess the ability yet to understand this article in its entirety in one read, maybe if I translated it, but that would take me all day, and even then it would contain several errors. My interpretation based on glancing at the video was that since there is an upcoming 10% sales tax hike thing going on, companies had to add gimmicks to their products to convince the consumer it was not a waste of money with the 10% tax added.
    – SomaRise
    Sep 24, 2019 at 3:23
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    @SomaRise It's the Japanese law that is the trickiest :) Here, the company had to block the "whistle" function with a sticker in order to convince that plastic is just a "container" rather than an attractive おまけ. The tax rate for 'food' will remain 8% for some time, but if it comes with an おまけ, the rate will be 10% according to the law, and this will negatively affect consumers. They are not trying to add an gimmick, but they are trying to hide the existing gimmick, hence 苦肉の策.
    – naruto
    Sep 24, 2019 at 3:32
  • @SomaRise And I believe 暮らしに響く is just "affect one's life". It typically refers to financial negative effects, but it can also refer to positive or non-financial effects. I found a company using this as a catchphrase meaning something like "inspires your life".
    – naruto
    Sep 24, 2019 at 8:26

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