Major Japanese beer manufacturers are reclassifying their "third-beer" products as regular beer ahead of a unified alcohol-tax reform [1].

This shift is critical because the upcoming tax changes remove the lower-rate classification that previously allowed these products to be sold at a significant discount. By upgrading these products now, brewers aim to maintain premium brand strength and offset the loss of tax advantages that will occur when the reform takes effect in October 2026 [1, 2, 3].

Companies including Asahi Breweries, Kirin, and Sapporo are leading the transition [1, 2, 3]. Several prominent brands are being upgraded to the regular beer classification, including Kin-Mugi, Hon-Kirin, and Clear Asahi [4].

Asahi is taking a dual approach to the market shift. A spokesperson for Asahi Beer said the company will change the specifications of Clear Asahi to make it a regular beer and will also renew its flagship Super Dry brand [5].

Retailers are already seeing the impact of pricing disparities in the current system. For example, a private-brand third-beer product from Kaiz is priced at 138 yen [1]. The upcoming unification is expected to narrow the gap between these budget options and premium offerings.

Sapporo is also restructuring its internal operations to better handle the market transition. Sanada, a director and executive officer at Sapporo Beer, said the group companies will unite to work as "One Sapporo" across different business frameworks [6].

The move reflects a broader industry effort to stabilize pricing and brand identity before the government mandates a single tax rate for all beer-like beverages [1, 2].

““安い第3のビール”か、“少し高いビール”か。その選び方が、今年10月の酒税改正によって変わろうとしています。”

The reclassification represents a strategic preemptive strike by brewers to avoid a sudden price shock for consumers in October 2026. By transitioning 'third-beer'—a category created specifically to exploit tax loopholes—into the regular beer category now, companies can gradually adjust pricing and branding to protect their margins without losing customers to cheaper alternatives once the tax advantage disappears.