Global wine consumption set to speed up

The world is finding fun in fizz as consumption of sparkling wine is forecast to grow over the next five years.

While total volume is lower than still wine, world consumption of sparkling wine is expected to grow at a faster rate with a perky 8.5% increase to 235 million cases, by 2016, shows the data commissioned by Vinexpo from International Wine and Spirit Research (IWSR).

Consumption of still wine, by contrast, will increase 5% to 2.64 billion cases. This compares with the sluggish increase in wine consumption of only 1.8% in 2012 over 2011.

Together, consumption of still light & sparkling wine will grow globally in volume terms by 5.3% to 2.87 billion cases by 2016 compared with 2012.

The buoyancy of sparkling wine continues a global growth pattern. Sales grew 4.2% to 206 million cases in 2011. They grew by 5.1% to 217 million cases in 2012 and are forecast to deliver 8.5% and 235 million cases by 2016 over 2012.

The situation is similar in the UK where sparkling wine has followed a growth pattern since 2007. Volume consumption has risen steadily over the years to 9 million cases (up 2.6%) in 2011, 9.6 million cases (up 6.3%) in 2012 and is expected to deliver 10% and 10.6 million cases by 2016. (We didn’t found these data in

The performance of sparkling wine in the UK, however, is not sufficient to alter the overall UK decline in total consumption of still light and sparkling. Total wine consumption is forecast to decline 3.7% to 130 million cases by 2016.

Since 2007, consumption of white wine has declined at a slower rate than red with the result that in 2011 white wine took the lead from red wine in volume consumption accounting for 45% white versus 43% for red.

This volume split is forecast to remain the same through to 2016. At the same time, UK spending on still light wine is expected to fall by 3.6% from £8.22 billion to £7.92 billion in 2016.

Among the top 10 consuming countries in Europe, France, Italy and Spain will also see a decline in the volume consumption of still light and sparkling wines, but this will be offset by the growth in the US, Germany, China, the Russian Federation and Australia.

The US at 12.2% growth from 2012 to 2016 will remain number 1 in volume wine consumption. Germany at 3.5% growth, will take over second spot.  China will occupy fifth place with an impressive 39.7% consumption increase and the Russian Federation seventh place with a 17.8% increase.

Vinexpo 2013, takes place at the Parc des Expositions in Bordeaux, France,  June 16 – 20. It features 2,400 exhibitors from 45 countries and 48,000 visitors from 135 countries.

14 March 2013 - Felicity Murray