Japan: Sapporo to extend best-before period for its beer

Sapporo Breweries Ltd. said on October 8 that it will extend the best-before period for its beer and quasi-beer products from the current nine months to 12 months, The Japan News reported.

The new best-before period, intended to help reduce food waste, will be applied in stages to products to be made in and after March 2020.

Sapporo Breweries will also change ways to display when products were made. While the year and month, as well as whether they were made in the early, middle or later part of the month, are shown at present, only the year and month will be displayed under the new format.

The changes will cover 21 brands of beer, happoshu low-malt quasi-beer and so-called third-segment beer-like beverages, including the Black Label draft beer, a mainstay product for the firm.

The best-before period for the company’s nonalcoholic beer products has already been set at 12 months.

The longer best-before period has been made possible partly on the back of improvements in ingredients and production methods, according to Sapporo Breweries.

Asahi Breweries Ltd., Kirin Brewery Co. and Suntory Beer Ltd. are considering similar changes.

As part of efforts to cut down on the amount of still-edible food that is thrown away, the food and beverage industries are working to review their best-before periods.

09 October, 2019