Net Alcohol Content Labeling To Start in Japan in May 2022

TOKYO, Thursday February 17 , 2022 - Kirin Brewery Company, Limited (Kirin Brewery) will begin labeling the amount of net alcohol contained in its main alcohol products sold in Japan in May 2022, as part of its Zero Harmful Drinking initiative aiming to complete labeling of all alcohol products by the end of 2023. The target products are 350ml and 500ml cans of beer (beer, happoshu, new genre) and RTD.*1

In addition to displaying the amount of net alcohol, a URL that goes to an educational website on responsible drinking (tekiryo.jp, Japanese) will also be displayed.

The Kirin Group believes that it is our social responsibility as a company that produces and sells alcoholic beverages to respond sincerely and appropriately to alcohol related issues.

By displaying not only the amount of net alcohol, but also a the educational website URL, Kirin Brewery hopes that customers will deepen their knowledge of proper amount of alcohol to be consumed and responsible drinking, so that they can better consciously control the amount of alcohol they drink on their own, leading to the eradication of the harmful use of alcohol.
*1：Abbreviation for "Ready to Drink. A canned cocktail.

Alcohol Content Labeling (Example)

What is the Difference Between Alcohol Percentage and Net Alcohol?

Until recently, alcoholic products, in particularly beer, have been conventionally labeled with Alcohol by Volume (ABV). a numerical value that indicates the percentage of ethanol volume contained in alcohol (unit: %/ degrees).
The net alcohol content indicates the amount of alcohol that is consumed when you drink (unit: grams).

ABV differs from the amount of net alcohol that actually affects the drinker's body.

How Net Alcohol Content is Calculated

The amount of net alcohol is calculated by multiplying the amount of alcohol by the percentage of alcohol by the specific gravity (approximately 0.8).

Since the content volume of alcoholic beverages is indicated in milliliters, it is necessary to multiply by the specific gravity of alcohol to convert the amount of net alcohol in g (1 ml = 0.8 g).

Against this background, Kirin Brewery will now begin to label canned products with the amount of net alcohol that actually affects the body of the drinker.

Global Awareness

In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted the Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol, and the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) have been included as one of the goals in the area of health. As a result, alcohol-related issues have become a global issue that needs to be addressed in consultation with society as a whole. In Japan, the government approved the second phase of the Basic Plan for Promotion Against Alcohol-related HarmPDF：987KB in March 2021, and efforts to address alcohol-related issues are accelerating. The Kirin Group will continue to make steady progress in its efforts to eradicate the harmful use of alcohol.

About Kirin Holdings

Kirin Holdings Company, Limited is an international company that operates in the Food & Beverages domain (Food & Beverages businesses), Pharmaceuticals domain (Pharmaceuticals businesses), and Health Science domain (Health Science business), both in Japan and across the globe.
Kirin Holdings can trace its roots to Japan Brewery which was established in 1885. Japan Brewery became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, the company expanded its business with fermentation and biotechnology as its core technologies, and entered the pharmaceutical business in the 1980s, all of which continue to be global growth centers. In 2007, Kirin Holdings was established as a net holding company and is currently focusing on boosting its Health Science domain.
Under the Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV 2027), a long-term management plan launched in 2019, the Kirin Group aims to become “A global leader in CSV*2, creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals.” Going forward, the Kirin Group will continue to leverage its strengths to create both social and economic value through its businesses, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth in corporate value.

* 2：Creating Shared Value: combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.