What are the reasons behind the decline in imported alcohol category data?
On January 18, data released by the General Administration of Customs showed that from January to December 2024, China’s cumulative beer imports amounted to 401.78 million liters, down 4% year on year, while the cumulative import value was 3.88242 billion yuan, down 4.3%.
Similarly, the Japan Sake and Shochu Brewers Association (JSS) recently published Japan’s sake export data for 2024. Exports to mainland China fell by 8.11% in volume and 6.32% in value compared with 2023, and declined by 17.6% in volume and 28% in value compared with the peak in 2022.
Multiple alcohol categories have repeatedly posted “cold” import figures — does this mean China’s alcohol consumption level is gradually declining? In fact, that is not the case. Behind this phenomenon lies the interplay of multiple factors shaping China’s alcohol market.
The downturn in Japanese sake and imported beer is not an isolated occurrence, but rather an inevitable result of China’s alcohol market entering a new stage of development. Consumer demand is shifting from “quantity” to “quality,” driving adjustments in market structure.
China has a long-standing alcohol culture. As a medium for expressing emotion, alcohol has always played a pivotal role in festive gifts and gatherings with family and friends — a characteristic that remains unchanged in today’s market. Compared with other countries, China’s alcohol culture has a far longer history than those of Japan, South Korea, and some Western nations, with a broader influence, laying a profound foundation for the development of its alcohol market.
China’s alcohol market boasts a huge consumer base and a wide variety of popular categories, including baijiu (Chinese liquor), beer, wine, huangjiu (yellow wine), sake, spirits, and more. Among them, baijiu, as a traditional Chinese alcoholic beverage, dominates the market with deep cultural roots and a broad consumer foundation. Beer and wine have also seen rapid sales growth in recent years due to their fashionable image, health attributes, and suitability for social occasions.
The ability of China’s alcohol market to be largely self-sufficient is largely thanks to the rise of domestic brands. In recent years, Chinese alcohol companies have increased R&D investment, improved product quality, strengthened brand building, and actively expanded sales channels. For example, renowned baijiu brands such as Moutai and Wuliangye have gained consumer recognition through continuous technological innovation and quality enhancement, and have successfully entered international markets. Meanwhile, domestic beer brands like Tsingtao Beer and Yanjing Beer have taken a leading position in the beer market with their affordable pricing and extensive coverage. Notably, Chinese wine has shown rapid improvement in both quality and branding in recent years, steadily increasing its competitiveness.
External factors abroad also play a role in affecting import data. Global economic slowdown and trade frictions have reduced consumer purchasing power, directly impacting alcohol consumption. In particular, international factors such as Sino-US trade tensions inevitably push up the prices of imported alcohol, affecting its market share in China.
Today, domestic alcohol brands, with improved quality and price advantages, are gradually eroding the market share of imported alcohol.
In summary, as the market matures, the high-end alcohol segment is becoming a new growth driver, and consumer demand is increasingly diversified, with higher demands for quality, branding, and personalized experiences. This requires alcohol companies to continuously improve product quality, strengthen brand building, expand sales channels, and strive to stand out in competition.
Changes in the economic environment, policy adjustments, and uncertainties in international trade — especially economic slowdown and trade frictions — will undoubtedly have a certain impact on the alcohol market.
Undoubtedly, China’s alcohol market holds tremendous development potential. Only by seizing opportunities, addressing challenges, continuously improving product quality, strengthening brand building, and expanding sales channels can companies achieve sustainable development in the competition.
In the future, China’s alcohol market will maintain a growth trend, and market competition will become fiercer. The contest between domestic and imported brands will become more pronounced, and market restructuring is inevitable. Both Chinese alcohol enterprises and foreign import brands must proactively respond to market changes, keep innovating, and stay competitive in China’s increasingly intense alcohol market.
Disclaimer:
Source: China Alcoholic Drinks Association CADA WeChat Official Account
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