So in Japan, tiny cans of beer are a thing. You’ve got your regular cans at 350ml/12oz, and tallboys at 500ml/16oz. Just like the rest of the world. But in Japan there are two smaller sizes: 250ml and the miniscule 135ml. That’s like 3 shots… of beer!
It turns out old people in Japan really like these small beers. According to Asahi, for the 250ml and 135ml sizes, over 70% of the sales are to people over 50 years old. Seniors are also a thing in Japan, as you’ve probably heard, so Asahi has a vested interest in keeping them happy.
The decline of fine motor skills is extremely common in late adulthood, which unfortunately for Asahi, are what’s needed to open a can of beer. So they set out to make their cans easier to open.
They’ve now picked up an award for this redesigned 135ml beer can: the “Japan Package Design Association Award” was awarded to Asahi Beer at the 2017 Japan Packaging Contest.
What exactly changed?
- The top of the can was made thinner such that the internal pressure pushes up the middle of the can top. This results in a 0.2mm gap between the can top and the pull tab (i.e. the pull tab doesn’t sit flush on the top)
- The “finger hole” where you pull the pull tab was made twice as deep and 50% larger
- The tab itself is a “step up” in the middle making it easier to pull
- The mouth of the can is 25% larger than before
Considering the rapid greying of Japan’s population, expect to see much more of this kind of thing in the future.
Hi there! I created and run nomunication.jp. I’ve lived in Tokyo since 2008, and I am a certified Shochu Kikisake-shi/Shochu Sommelier (焼酎唎酒師), Cocktail Professor (カクテル検定１級), and I hold Whisky Kentei Levels 3 and JW (ウイスキー検定３級・JW級). I also sit on the Executive Committees for the Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition and Japanese Whisky Day. Click here for more details about me and this site. Kampai!