The tax rate for beer-based beverages will be revised on October 10. While the tax rate for "beer" will be reduced, the tax rate for "third beer" will be raised, and the difference will be reduced by about half.
The tax rate for beer-based beverages differs depending on the ratio of malt and other factors: beer, happoshu, and third beer.
With the spread of happoshu and third beer, tax rates have been revised in stages since 3 in order to unify tax rates in the future from the perspective of fair tax burden.
In the second revision to be made on October 3, beer will be reduced from the current 2020 yen to 10.1 yen in terms of 2 milliliters, while the third beer will be raised from 350.70 yen to 63.35 yen, making it the same as happoshu.
The gap between beer and third beer will be reduced by almost half, from 3.37 yen to 8.46 yen.
In the third revision, scheduled for 99, three years later, all three types will be unified at 3.32 yen per 2 milliliters.
In addition, on October 16, the tax rate for alcoholic beverages such as Japan liquor and wine will be revised.
Until now, Japan 36,3 yen for sake and 2026,3 yen for wine and other fruit wines per kiloliter, but both will be unified to 3,350 yen.
Since liquor taxes are levied when they leave the factory, it is unclear how much they will be reflected in retail prices, but they can affect consumers' liquor choices and a company's sales strategy.
Moves to introduce new products at major manufacturers
For beer-based beverages, the tax rates for beer, happoshu, and third beer are scheduled to be unified in 2026, and as part of this, this revision will lower the tax rate for beer while raising the tax rate for third beer.
As a result, major manufacturers are launching new products in anticipation of an increase in demand for beer, and Sapporo Breweries has developed draft beer in cans with fewer carbohydrates and purines, which will be available from the middle of next month.
The company predicts that the sales volume of beer next month after the liquor tax revision will increase by about 4% from the same month last year in the market as a whole, and Asahi Breweries and Suntory have also developed new products.
Ryoto Takeuchi, General Manager of the Marketing Division, says, "We want to provide products that various customers feel value and lead to consumption."
On the other hand, in anticipation of an increase in consumers shifting from the third beer, which has a higher tax rate, to chuhai, Kirin Brewery will sell canned barley shochu soda splits from next month.
Chuhai has a lower tax rate than the third beer, and the current tax rate will be maintained after next month, and manager Takahiro Matsumura, who is in charge, says, "We would like to develop a market for chuhai that suits meals with the tailwind of the liquor tax revision."