Japan is facing a shortage of Asahi products, including beer and bottled tea, as the drinks giant grapples with the impact of a major cyber-attack that has impacted its operations in the country.
Most of the Asahi Group's factories in Japan have been at a standstill since Monday, after the attack hit its ordering and delivering systems, the firm has said.
Major Japanese retailers, including 7-Eleven and FamilyMart, have now warned customers to expect shortages of Asahi products.
Asahi has temporarily suspended orders and shipments of its products with no prospect of resumption, FamilyMart said in a statement on Thursday.
The firm - which is one of Japan's largest convenience stores - said its Famimaru range of bottled teas, which are made by Asahi, are expected to be in short supply or out of stock.
We sincerely apologise to our customers for any inconvenience caused, said FamilyMart, adding that it is working with Asahi to resume the sale of the products.
7-Eleven has halted shipments of Asahi products, including its popular Super Dry beer, with a spokesperson confirming the shortage.
Lawson, another major Japanese retailer, also expects some Asahi products to be in short supply from today and plans to stock up on alternatives.
Asahi is the biggest brewer in Japan, producing not just beer but also soft drinks and food products. It owns several global brands, including Fullers in the UK, Peroni, Pilsner Urquell, and Grolsch. Japan accounts for about half of its total sales.
Despite the severity of the cyber-attack, Asahi confirmed that its European operations are not affected and that there have been no confirmed leaks of customer data. We are actively investigating the cause and working to restore operations; however, there is currently no estimated timeline for recovery, they stated.
Additional reporting by Chika Nakayama in Tokyo
