Alcoholic Beverage Market in Japan: Key Research Findings 2015
Research Outline
- Research period: From March to May, 2015
- Research targets: Manufacturers and wholesalers of various alcoholic beverages
- Research methodologies: Face-to-face interviews by the expert researchers, surveys via telephone, and questionnaire
What is the Alcoholic Beverage Market?
The alcoholic beverage market size in this research indicated the total shipment volume of ten categories of liquors such as beers (including ordinary beer, low malt beer, and new malt beer), Sake, high-class Shochu (distilled spirit), second-class Shochu, whiskeys, wines, low-alcoholic drinks, and other types of liquors, produced at manufacturers.
What is Low-Alcoholic Drinks?
Low-alcoholic drinks in this research indicate those brewed or distilled drinks and liquors diluted by fruit juices, teas, water, or sodas into less than 10% of alcoholics. They include Chuhai, shochu-based beverages, whisky and soda, sour, and cocktails.
Summary of Research Findings
- Domestic Alcoholic Beverage Market in FY2014 Projected to Attain 3,605.4 Billion Yen, 99.3% of Previous Year
Size of the domestic alcoholic beverage market in FY2013 attained 3,630.1 billion yen, 100.2% of that in the previous fiscal year (based on the shipment value at manufacturers). Although the market rose slighlty in FY2013, it stemmed from last minute surge in demand during Februaty and March of 2014, just before the consumption tax increase, so that it was regarded to be a negative growth substantially, bringing about downturn later on. The market size in FY2014 is projected to decline slightly to 3,605.4 billion yen, 99.3% of that in the precedent year due to sluggish growth in consumer spending caused by aftereffect of the last-minute rush that lasted until around April to June. Occasional bad weathers in the summertime also stalled the overall alcoholic beverage market activities in FY2014.
- Health/Functional Beverages Emerged and More Variety Expected from Each Category of Alcoholic Drinks
The products with reduced or eliminated carbohydrate, calories, purine body, or sweeteners have emerged in various categories of alcoholic drinks, including beers (i.e., ordinary beer, low malt beer, and new malt beer), Japanese Sake, and low-alcoholic drinks, which quickly gained ground. As for beer category, the manufacturers marketed the products with no carbohydrate, calories, nor purine body, which is considered to have driven the entire market. In addition, the beverages designated as 'special-use food' or function-discripted beverage products have been emerged in the category of non-alocholic beer, showing increasing demands for healthy product.
- Figure 1: Transition of Size of Alcoholic Beverages Market
