The brewery is investing heavily in a new production line

Japan’s Asahi Breweries will be the first in Japan to introduce beer in PET bottles when the products hit the shelves at the end of this year. Together with Toyo Seika, a metal can/plastics container company, and Fujishi for shrink film, the three companies have developed a new barrier coating technology to preserve the freshness of beer in PET bottles.

The internal surface of the bottle will be coated with silicon dioxide, a main constituent of glass, while the outer surface will be coated with a light-blocking film to protect the contents from UV rays.

Nakahara Yasuhiro of Asahi Breweries’ public relations department told PRW.com that the new packaging is targeted at younger consumers. The new packaging will be launched year-end but the exact date has not been decided.

The company is now in the process of concluding the brand of beer, bottle design and volume to come to the market. Asahi Breweries will be spending Ґ800m (E6m) on a new production line, including bottle production and filling, at its brewery in Fukushima prefecture.