Japan: Kirin warns Asahi’s new alcohol-free beer label design resembling too much the regular Super Dry

Kirin Brewery Co. President Koichi Matsuzawa voiced concern on Jan. 11 that the label design for a new alcohol-free beer by rival Asahi Breweries resembles that of Asahi's flagship regular beer so much that people could pick up and drink the new product by mistake, Mainichi Daily News reports.

Asahi announced on Jan. 10 that it would release the alcohol-free "Dry Zero" in February. The new product's label design resembles that of "Super Dry," Asahi's best-selling regular beer.

Matsuzawa said at a news conference on Jan. 11, "Its outward appearance resembles Super Dry so much so that it could lead people to buy it by mistake." The Japanese word "Non-alcohol" is printed in a large font on Dry Zero's silvered aluminum can, but the Asahi logo is printed in the center of the design in such a way that could prompt people to associate the new alcohol-free product with "Super Dry." Asahi said, however, that its new product is different from "Super Dry."

Kirin and Asahi are longtime competitors for top spot in the Japanese beer market. Matsuzawa's comment could be taken as a veiled threat to Asahi, which is keen to expand its share of the non-alcohol beer sector.

13 January, 2012