South Korean supermarkets shelve orders of Japanese beer

Inventories pile up as boycott over Tokyo trade curbs weighs on sales

20190726N Lotte Shopping beer

South Korean consumers have steered clear of Japanese beer at supermarkets including this store run by Lotte Shopping in Seoul. (Photo by Kenichi Yamada)

KENICHI YAMADA, Nikkei staff writer

SEOUL -- Two major South Korean supermarket operators have halted orders of beer from Japan amid a boycott of Japanese goods, the latest sign that the feud between the two countries is changing consumer habits.

Lotte Shopping and Emart suspended orders from six Japanese beer makers, including market leader Kirin Brewery, as of Friday, according to people familiar with the two retailers.

Sponsored Content

About Sponsored ContentThis content was commissioned by Nikkei's Global Business Bureau.