Sake Makers Run Out of Bottles

May 02, 2024 | News On Japan

TOKYO - As demand for sake rebounds both domestically and internationally, a major shortage of sake bottles has prompted a leading food wholesaler to begin selling the beverage in cans instead of bottles.

The annual shipment of bottles used for sake was 65.4 million units in 2019, but this number dropped to 46.53 million by 2022, leading to the current shortage. The decline in bottle availability is due in part to reduced demand in settings such as pubs and taverns during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led some bottle manufacturers to halt production. Additionally, an increase in exports has contributed to fewer bottles being recycled.

Japan Access, a major food wholesaler, has started switching some of its sake from glass bottles to aluminum cans. With an aluminum can recycling rate exceeding 90%, this shift could potentially spread to other companies in the industry.

Source: ANN

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