On the day the liquor tax reform unified the tax rates on beer, happoshu, and third-category beer, discounted beer hit store shelves nationwide. With the new tax rate, prices were cut by about 9 yen per 350 milliliters, and manufacturers aiming to expand demand have successively renewed their flagship products. Aeon is holding a fair adapted for home consumption from the world's largest beer festival, Oktoberfest, at about 2,450 stores nationwide through the 12th, offering beer and sausages imported directly from Germany. The MEGA Don Quijote Omori Sanno store set up displays promoting the price cuts and a tasting corner, and its operator, Pan Pacific International Holdings, increased inventory above normal levels. While some say there is little movement toward lowering prices at restaurants, the gyoza specialty chain Nikujiru Gyoza no Dandadan is running a campaign through the 31st offering draft beer at 55 yen off at all its stores.
Pan Pacific International Holdings CorporationPan Pacific's MEGA Don Quijote set up price-cut displays and tasting corners and raised inventory above normal to capture beer demand.
AEON Co., Ltd.Aeon is holding an Oktoberfest beer fair at ~2,450 stores, a concrete sales event to capture post-tax-cut beer demand.
