Japan, Tokyo: Pricing practices in Japan's beer market are expected to change substantially as Asahi Breweries Ltd said on April 20 it will stop suggesting wholesale and retail prices in the wake of the same decision announced by Kirin Brewery Co in January. The announcements will have a strong impact on other brewers as Asahi and Kirin together command some 75% of the domestic market for beer and "happoshu" low-malt beer, Kyodo News said on April 21.

Shipments of beer and happoshu fell in March 2004, according to figures released on April 19. Combined shipments by Kirin, Asahi, Sapporo, Suntory and Orion breweries fell last month by 4.7% to 39.23 million cases. It is the third consecutive year-on-year decrease. While beer shipments dropped by only 0.4% year-on-year to 23.09 million cases, happoshu shipments also dropped, by 10% to 16.08 million cases.

Only Asahi saw happoshu shipments increase in March, with a rise of 15.7%, after launching new products. Combined shipments of beer and happoshu at the company grew by 7%.

In February this year, beer shipments recorded their first year-on-year rise in 47 months.

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