Beer in Japan
Euromonitor International's Beer in Japan market report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, packaging innovations, economic/lifestyle influences, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts illustrate how the market is set to change.
Buy online to access strategic market analysis and an interactive statistical database of volume and value market sizes including on-trade and off-trade, company and brand shares, distribution and pricing data.
Tables: 79 | Publication date: Apr 2009
Why buy this report
- Get insight into trends in market performance
- Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change
- Identify market and brand leaders and understand the competitive environment
Product coverage
Dark beer; Lager by origin; Lager by price platform; Low/non- alcohol beer; Stout
Executive summary
Beer volumes continued to decline at a rate of more than 2% year-on-year in 2008, which was at a faster pace compared to the negative review period CAGR of almost 2%. Despite the numerous new products being launched in the economy beer segment (happoshu and new-genre products), consumers, especially younger consumers, continued to shift to RTDs and other alcohol drinks such as wine. This is also true for the on-trade, where younger consumers tend to prefer cocktails to beer.
Although there is a trend towards health consciousness, there is still a trend where people want the authentic beer products. According to trade interviews, consumers tend to purchase economy products such as happoshu and new-genre products for off-trade consumption. However, in the on-trade, they still prefer the authentic taste of beer and are willing to fork out the money for the occasion. Domestic premium beer recorded 9% volume growth in 2008. Although beer as a whole is expected to continue shrinking in the forecast period, there will still be demand for authentic beer; especially in the premium arena, where consumers position the product as something special. According to a recent survey, consumers tend to drink premium beer on special occasions, and as a treat for themselves. As a special drink, premium beer is still in an affordable price range and, due to that, consumers will continue to consume such products according to the occasion. In terms of authentic beer, the popularity of dark beer is expected to gradually grow, having recorded positive 1% year-on-year volume growth in 2008. This also shows that consumers are willing to fork out some extra cash for their favourite special product.
Due to the rising prices of raw materials, domestic breweries increased the manufacturer selling prices of beer, starting with Kirin in February 2008, followed by Asahi in March 2008, and Sapporo and Suntory from April 2008. This price hike was the first in 18 years and sent ripples across all areas of beer. Due to this on-trade prices are increasing. It was reported that the family restaurant operator Skylark increased the price of a Kirin Ichiban Shibori 350ml can by 5% to ¥472, while the barbeque outlet Gyukaku increased the price of a Kirin Ichiban Shibori medium-sized mug by 8% to ¥557 and drinking house operator Watami increased the price for a Suntory Malt's medium-sized mug by 9% to ¥481. As for the off-trade, major convenience store operators increased the retail selling price of beers by between ¥8 and ¥10 per 350ml can. Happoshu and new-genre products also increased by ¥7 and ¥9 and ¥4 and ¥6 per 350ml can, respectively.
Low-alcohol beer continues to decline, with a 4% year-on-year fall in volume sales, despite the strict laws on drink driving. Consumers do not appreciate these beer substitutes and would rather not drink at all than choose this option. In connection with the strict drink-driving laws, consumer foodservice outlets, particularly drinking houses in the suburban areas that are designed to be visited by car, continue to suffer from falling sales – ultimately leading to a decline in on-trade sales as a whole.
Production, Imports and Exports
Many economy beers, especially happoshu, that focus on health conscious products have been seen, such as zero-carbohydrate products being launched in 2008. Premium beer, which can be sold at a higher price with the same tax rate as standard lager is also a growing segment and therefore renewed products such as Sapporo Yebisu The Hop, with further improvements to the hop aroma, were launched to secure consumer awareness of the product.
Domestic brands dominate beer sales, with imported lager accounting for less than 1% of total volume and just over 1% of total value sales of lager. The leading countries that export beer into Japan are Mexico, Australia, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Asahi announced that its import beer retail prices would increase by 3-5% from September 2008, which does not make it easier for imported brands to compete in the market.
Some foreign brands are locally produced by domestic manufacturers, such as Heineken manufactured by Kirin Brewery under licence in Japan. Shares for such foreign brands remain low.
Table of contents
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS IN JAPAN : MARKET INSIGHT
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Health concerns still on the rise
Social morals affecting drinking habits
Weak economy hits luxury consumption
Specialist retailers need to focus on their strengths
Reorganisation seen across the whole chain
KEY TRENDS AND DEVELOPMENTS
Health trend among consumers continues
Sweet is the key
Social morals restricting alcohol consumption growth
Luxury showing signs of decline
Specialist retailers continue to suffer
Summary 1 Leading Specialist Retailers 2007
Cross-industry mergers and acquisitions along with reorganisation of distribution
MARKET BACKGROUND
Legislation
TAXATION AND DUTY LEVIES
Table 1 Taxation and Duty Levies on Alcoholic Drinks 2008
Table 2 Typical Wholesaler and Retailer Off-trade Mark-ups by Selected Sectors 2008
Table 3 Selling Margin of a Typical Domestically Produced Beer Brand 2008
Table 4 Selling Margin of a Typical Domestically Produced Wine Brand 2008
Table 5 Selling Margin of a Typical Imported Wine Brand 2008
Table 6 Selling Margin of a Typical Domestically Produced Spirits Brand 2008
Table 7 Selling Margin of a Typical Imported Spirits Brand 2008
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT
MARKET INDICATORS
Table 8 Retail Consumer Expenditure on Alcoholic Drinks 2003-2008
MARKET DATA
Table 9 Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector: Total Volume 2003-2008
Table 10 Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector: Total Value 2003-2008
Table 11 Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector: % Total Volume Growth 2003-2008
Table 12 Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector: % Total Value Growth 2003-2008
Table 13 Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector by On-trade vs Off-trade Split: Volume 2008
Table 14 Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector by On-trade vs Off-trade Split: Value 2008
Table 15 Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector by On-trade vs Off-trade Split: % Volume 2008
Table 16 Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector by On-trade vs Off-trade Split: % Value 2008
Table 17 Company Shares of Alcoholic Drinks by Global Brand Owner 2004-2007
Table 18 Off-trade Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Distribution Format: % Value Analysis 2008
Table 19 Off-trade Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector and Distribution Format: % Volume Analysis 2008
Table 20 Forecast Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector: Total Volume 2008-2013
Table 21 Forecast Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector: Total Value 2008-2013
Table 22 Forecast Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector: % Total Volume Growth 2008-2013
Table 23 Forecast Sales of Alcoholic Drinks by Sector: % Total Value Growth 2008-2013
DEFINITIONS
Sources
Summary 2 Research Sources
LOCAL COMPANY PROFILES - JAPAN
ASAHI BREWERIES LTD - ALCOHOLIC DRINKS - JAPAN
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 3 Asahi Breweries Co Ltd: Key Facts
Summary 4 Asahi Breweries Co Ltd: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
Summary 5 Asahi Breweries Co Ltd: Production Statistics 2007
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 6 Asahi Breweries Co Ltd: Competitive Position 2007
CHOYA UMESHU CO LTD - ALCOHOLIC DRINKS - JAPAN
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 7 Choya Umeshu Co Ltd: Key Facts
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
Summary 8 Choya Umeshu Co Ltd: Production Statistics 2007
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 9 Choya Umeshu Co Ltd: Competitive Position 2007
GEKKEIKAN SAKE CO LTD - ALCOHOLIC DRINKS - JAPAN
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 10 Gekkeikan Sake Co Ltd: Key Facts
Summary 11 Gekkeikan Sake Co Ltd: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 12 Gekkeikan Sake Co Ltd: Competitive Position 2007
KIRIN BREWERY CO LTD - ALCOHOLIC DRINKS - JAPAN
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 13 Kirin Brewery Co Ltd: Key Facts
Summary 14 Kirin Brewery Co Ltd: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
Summary 15 Kirin Brewery Co Ltd: Production Statistics 2007
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 16 Kirin Brewery Co Ltd: Competitive Position 2007
KOKUBUN CO LTD - ALCOHOLIC DRINKS - JAPAN
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 17 Kokubu Co Ltd: Key Facts
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 18 Kokubu Co Ltd: Competitive Position 2007
MERCIAN CORP - ALCOHOLIC DRINKS - JAPAN
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 19 Mercian Corp: Key Facts
Summary 20 Mercian Corp: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 21 Mercian Corp: Competitive Position 2007
ORION BREWERIES CO LTD - ALCOHOLIC DRINKS - JAPAN
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 22 Orion Breweries Ltd: Key Facts
Summary 23 Orion Breweries Ltd: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
Summary 24 Orion Breweries Ltd: Production Statistics 2007
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 25 Orion Breweries Ltd: Competitive Position 2007
SAPPORO BREWERIES LTD - ALCOHOLIC DRINKS - JAPAN
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 26 Sapporo Breweries Ltd: Key Facts
Summary 27 Sapporo Breweries Ltd: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
Summary 28 Sapporo Breweries Ltd: Production Statistics 2007
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 29 Sapporo Breweries Ltd: Competitive Position 2007
SUNTORY LTD - ALCOHOLIC DRINKS - JAPAN
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 30 Suntory Ltd: Key Facts
Summary 31 Suntory Ltd: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 32 Suntory Ltd: Competitive Position 2007
TAKARA SHUZO CO LTD - ALCOHOLIC DRINKS - JAPAN
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
KEY FACTS
Summary 33 Takara Shuzo Co Ltd: Key Facts
Summary 34 Takara Shuzo Co Ltd: Operational Indicators
COMPANY BACKGROUND
PRODUCTION
COMPETITIVE POSITIONING
Summary 35 Takara Shuzo Co Ltd: Competitive Position 2007
BEER IN JAPAN
HEADLINES
TRENDS
Production, Imports and Exports
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
PROSPECTS
SECTOR BACKGROUND
Lager Price Band Methodology
Summary 36 Lager by Price Band 2008
Published Data Comparisons
SECTOR DATA
Table 24 Sales of Beer by Subsector: Total Volume 2003-2008
Table 25 Sales of Beer by Subsector: Total Value 2003-2008
Table 26 Sales of Beer by Subsector: % Total Volume Growth 2003-2008
Table 27 Sales of Beer by Subsector: % Total Value Growth 2003-2008
Table 28 Sales of Beer by On-trade vs Off-trade Split: Volume 2003-2008
Table 29 Sales of Beer by On-trade vs Off-trade Split: Value 2003-2008
Table 30 Sales of Beer by On-trade vs Off-trade Split: % Volume Growth 2003-2008
Table 31 Sales of Beer by On-trade vs Off-trade Split: % Value Growth 2003-2008
Table 32 Beer: Production, Imports and Exports: Total Volume 2002-2007
Table 33 Beer Exports by Country of Destination: Total Volume 2002-2007
Table 34 Beer Exports by Country of Destination: Total Value 2002-2007
Table 35 Beer Imports by Country of Origin: Total Volume 2002-2007
Table 36 Beer Imports by Country of Origin: Total Value 2002-2007
Table 37 Company Shares of Beer by National Brand Owner 2003-2007
Table 38 Company Shares of Beer by Global Brand Owner 2003-2007
Table 39 Brand Shares of Beer 2004-2007
Table 40 Forecast Sales of Beer by Subsector: Total Volume 2008-2013
Table 41 Forecast Sales of Beer by Subsector: Total Value 2008-2013
Table 42 Forecast Sales of Beer by Subsector: % Total Volume Growth 2008-2013
Table 43 Forecast Sales of Beer by Subsector: % Total Value Growth 2008-2013