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British wine market: All the latest news (May 15, 2007)

And forecasted trends up to 2010.

This study, produced by IWSR and VINEXPO, predicts the changes in the British market since the growth of 1995 to 2005 has attracted wine exporters from Australia and California, and the French and Italians as well…

Summary

	In 2006 the British drank 1,676 billion bottles of wine!
	The UK will be the strongest market in Europe by 2010.
	Wine consumption per capita is on the rise.
	Sales of higher priced wines will bring market growth.
	Half the wine consumed is Red, but Rosé market growing
	Australia is the major wine supplier to the UK
	Spirits : Whisky remains as number one but vodka has made a big impact

In 2006 the British drank 1,676 billion bottles of wine!

Summary

Wine consumption in the United Kingdom rose by 25.54% between 2001 and 2005, an increase of 24.56% for still wine and 45.32% for sparkling wine. In volume, British consumers drank 12.57 million hl of still wine, which is the equivalent of 1676 billion bottles!

In 2005, Britain was the fifth biggest wine drinking nation in the world, in terms of volume, behind France, Italy, the USA and Germany. By 2010, it is predicted that consumption will go up by 9.27% to reach 13.736 million hl, equivalent to 1.831 billion bottles. It is thought that the average annual rise in wine consumption over the whole ten year period (2001 to 2010), will be 3.71%. This growth is three and a half times higher than that of the rest of the world.

The UK will be the strongest market in Europe by 2010.

Summary

In 2005 sales of still wine in the United Kingdom came to £4.937bn ($8.513bn), signifying a rise in value of 25.2% between 2001 and 2005. VINEXPO/IWSR predict that in 2010 sales will reach £5.496bn at the current rate of growth ($9.477bn), which would make the British market the largest in Europe for retail sales of wine.

Wine consumption per capita is on the rise.

Summary

The average yearly consumption of wine per person of legal drinking age, in 2005, was 26.9 litres. This figure puts Britain on a par with Australia (28.3 litres/year/person) and the Netherlands (28.6 litres) but behind Denmark (38.3 litres) and Germany (36.6 litres) and even further behind Italy and France (50 litres/year/person). By 2010, the average consumption per head (over-18s) will have risen to 28.5 litres, which is to say an increase of 5.95% since 2005. That is the equivalent of 38 bottles per person, or 5 glasses a week (less than one glass a day).

Sales of higher priced wines will bring market growth.

Summary

Wines costing over £2.90 per bottle ($5) counted for 48.6% of the total volume of sales in 2005, an increase of 41.2% between 2001 and 2005. By contrast, the volume of sales of wines costing less than £2.60 ($5) has only risen by 12.05%. This trend is even more noticeable with wines whose cost is over £5.20 per bottle ($10) because the volume of sales went up by 64.64% between 2001 and 2005. From 2005 to 2010 sales at this price level should rise by a further 35.9%.

Half the wine consumed is Red, but Rosé market growing

Summary

The consumption of Red wine has increased, by volume, by 35.71% between 2001 and 2005 whilst the consumption of rosé has risen by 63.58% over the same period. Between 2005 and 2010 these figures are expected to be 8.39% for red wine and 25.02% for rosé. Red wine accounted for 52.45% of all the wine consumed in the United Kingdom in 2005.

Australia is the major wine supplier to the UK

Summary

Australia has become the UK's premier supplier with imports of its still and sparkling wines having shown a growth of 51.78%, making them the leaders for 2005. Imports from the USA have more than doubled in the last five years (100.37%) and imports from South Africa have risen by 51.6%.Australia has become the premier supplier with imports of its still and sparkling wines having shown a growth of 51.78%, making them the leaders for 2005. Imports from the USA have more than doubled in the last five years (100.37%) and imports from South Africa have risen by 51.6%.

Spirits : Whisky remains as number one but vodka has made a big impact

Summary

Whisky is still the bestselling product in the United Kingdom, despite a steady decline.
In 2005, 7.339m 9-litre cases were sold, a drop of 6.77 from 2001. It is predicted that sales will continue to fall by a further 10.34% between 2005 and 2010.
The UK remains the fourth largest market in the world for volume of whisky sales.

But it is vodka that will be the number one selling spirit in 2010.
Vodka is fast becoming the most important product to the British market, with a forecasted average annual growth of 5.53% over ten years from 2001 to 2010.
Vodka sales should reach 8.405m 9-litre cases in 2010.

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