Sales of classic beer in Japan fell down by 11.2% in January this year compared to January 2002. Beer sales for the first month totaled 221.93 million litres. Sales of happoshu – a beer like beverage – increased by 12.2% up to 124.2 million litres. Hence happoshu is holding 35.9% of Japanese beer market – up 2.2% against December 2002. As a whole beer and happoshu sales totaled 346.13 million litres in January 2003, what is 4% less then in January 2002.

19 February, 2003