In the Japanthe National Tax Agency invited young people to submit proposals to encourage the consumption of Japanese alcoholic beverages in a competition called “Viva o Sake!”.
The aim is to propose ideas for new services and sales strategies from the perspective of young people, revitalizing the national market that is shrinking due to population decline and other factors.
According to the National Tax Agency, the per capita consumption of alcoholic beverages per adult in Japan was 100 liters in 1995, but it has dropped to 75 liters in 2020. In recent years, the COVID-19 epidemic has led to missed opportunities to drink and eat out and an increase in the number of who do not drink alcohol.
Particular attention was also paid to the “immediate refusal of alcohol” by young people. According to private research institutes, about half of young people do not have a daily drinking habit (they don’t drink wine, but they drink a glass of beer). Therefore, the National Tax Agency, which has jurisdiction over the alcoholic beverages sector, sought the opinion of young people to stimulate the demand for alcoholic beverages.
In addition to products and designs adapted to the increase in the number of “home drinkers” during the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization expects to receive proposals regarding new sales methods using the “Metaverse” virtual space on the Internet. Entries can be submitted by individuals between the ages of 20 and 39 or by groups of up to three people, and will be accepted through September 9.
Those who pass the paper-based test will move on to the final competition, which will be held in Tokyo on November 10, 2022. The agency will support the commercialization of the grand prize winning ideas, while the competition will be broadcast online.