Seven & i Holdings and other retailers in Japan are warning customers of possible Asahi Super Dry beer shortages after a cyberattack paralysed production and distribution at Asahi Group Holdings.
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Shoppers at some 7-Eleven stores are seeing notices that shipments of the country’s most popular beer, as well as other Asahi products like Mitsuya Cider soda and Seven Premium Clear Cooler, have been suspended.
Inventory varied from store to store, making it hard to say how imminent any shortages might be, a Seven & i representative said.
The disruption underscores how Japan’s food and beverage sector depends on intricate logistical and digital supply chains, where a single cyberattack can ripple from factory floors to convenience store shelves.
Lawson, one of Japan’s big convenience stores, said on Wednesday that it stocked many Asahi products and “it is possible that some of these products may become increasingly out of stock from tomorrow onwards”.
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“This is having an impact on everyone,” an executive at another of Japan’s major retailers said. “I think we will run out of products soon. When it comes to Super Dry, I think we’ll run out in two or three days at supermarkets and Asahi’s food products within a week or so.”
