Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced plans to reduce the consumption tax on food and beverages from 8% to 1% for two years starting April 2027. The government will proceed despite a cross-party panel failing to reach consensus on funding and permanence. Cash subsidies for eligible households, costing about 600 billion yen annually, will begin as early as autumn 2027. The 1% rate was chosen over 0% to ease the burden on retailers reprogramming cash registers.
China’s top five brewers convened at the 2026 Beer T5 Summit in Qingdao to discuss cross-border innovation and scene rebuilding. National Bureau of Statistics data showed that June beer output fell 3.1% year-on-year to 4.049 million kiloliters, while first-half cumulative output edged up 0.2% to 19.362 million kiloliters. Executives from China Resources Beer, Tsingtao, Budweiser APAC, Yanjing, and Carlsberg China outlined strategies including co-branded products, new consumption scenarios, and value-driven growth.
The 36th Qingdao International Beer Festival opened in July, running for 30 days. Tsingtao Brewery showcased its full product lineup, including new craft beers such as hazy IPA and Belgian dubbel, as well as upgraded Whole Wheat 1903 and health-oriented options. China's beer industry achieved sales revenue of approximately RMB 180 billion in 2025, up 4% year-on-year, with profit of about RMB 30.5 billion, up 18%. Tsingtao reported a gross margin of 41.72% and record sales for premium products.
Wuliangye announced on July 28 that it has split the roles of board secretary and chief financial officer, appointing Li Jianwei as deputy general manager and board secretary. Zhang Xin, who previously held both roles, will remain as director, deputy general manager and CFO. The change aligns with new regulatory rules effective May 24, 2026, which prohibit the board secretary from concurrently serving as CFO. The company also accepted the resignation of director Xiao Hao.