Japan’s beer shipments hit record low
Japan’s beer and quasi-beer shipments hit a record low for the 13th consecutive year, according to the data released from five major breweries in the country on Tuesday.
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The tepid performance, according to a report by Jiji Press, is a result of higher retail prices and competition from other lower-priced alcoholic beverages such as canned ‘chuhai’ spirits.
The country’s total export shipments numbered 407 million cases. Beer shipments fell 2.9% to 204.59 million cases, while shipments of ‘happoshu’, the low malt, quasi-beer beverage, dropped 4% to 54.99 million cases.
In addition, exports of the country’s third-segment beer-like beverage called ‘hodgepodge’ dropped 1.5% to 144.49 million cases, according to the report.
It was the second year in a row that the country’s beer exports incurred year-on-year drops in all three beer product categories, the report said.
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Among the five breweries, Asahi Breweries Ltd has the largest market share with 39.1%, followed by Kirin Brewery Co. (31.8%), Suntory Beer Ltd (16%), Sapporo Breweries Ltd (12.1%) and Orion Breweries Ltd (0.9%).
The country separates its beers into three categories based on the malt content.
