Rosé sales continue to grow

Rosé wines continue to grow in popularity with figures for Britain's bars, clubs and restaurants showing  rosé wine sales have risen by over 20% in value in the last year.

The figures published today in the WSTA's Quarterly Market Report, show rosé sales from shops up by 9.2% in value (7.6% in volume) in the year to May while the value of rosé sales in the on-trade is up by 21.4% (18.4% in volume)*.

Elsewhere the figures show some recovery for champagne in the off-trade with sales up significantly (12.5% in volume and 7.7% in value) following the marked decline since 2007.

The WSTA Market Report draws on data from leading independent sources including Nielsen, CGA Strategy and IWSR with analysis by Tim Wilson, author of the Wilson Drinks Report.

The latest WSTA Market Report shows that sales in shops continue to grow across all categories except fortified wine, with champagne, sparkling wine (up 6.8% in volume and 11.4% in value) and cider (up 9.9% in volume and 13.4% in value) the main winners.  The past year has seen a marked growth in sales of wine in the £6 to £7 bracket (up 25% in volume and value) and the £9 to £10 price range (up 11.9% in volume and 19.1% in value).

Figures for bars, clubs and restaurants show only wine (up 0.9% in volume and 1.3% in value) and cider (up 3% in value) achieving any real value growth.

Commenting on the figures WSTA chief executive Jeremy Beadles said: "Given the fact that sales of other wines in bars, clubs and restaurants are down over the course of the past year the big rise in rosé is all the more striking.  No doubt the recent good weather will have continued to boost its popularity.

"The growth in the £6 to £7 and £9 to £10 price ranges does suggest that while consumers may be cutting back on spending elsewhere the attraction of a better bottle of wine at home is tempting wine drinkers to spend a little more."

*The figure for the on-trade includes both still and sparkling rosé wines

1 July 2010 - Felicity Murray