In a recent media release, the German Wine Institute (Deutsches Weininstitut – DWI) reported a significant decrease in the percentage of wine-buying households in Germany for the third quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year.
This data, sourced from NielsenIQ’s household panel, which tracks the purchases of private households, reveals telling shifts in the wine market.
Decline in German Wine Consumption
The proportion of wine-buying households fell from 36.9% in 2022 to 33.8% in 2023, marking a decrease of about 3%. Specifically, the share of German wine dropped from 25.4% to 22.6%, and foreign wines from 26.5% to 23.6%. This downturn, which began in the second quarter of 2023, appears to be continuing unabated.
The rise in prices, particularly of German wines, has been a significant factor in this decline. Despite an increase in average prices by approximately 10%, German wines managed to maintain their market share in terms of revenue at 46.4%. Meanwhile, Italian wines gained 1.6% to reach an 18% market share, while France, Spain, and overseas origins saw slight decreases.
Italy Wins Again
In terms of types of wine, Germany saw an increase in the market share for white wine by 4.8%, while red wine experienced a steep decline of 10.8%. Italy emerged as a clear winner across all wine colors, particularly in white wine, with a 27.1% increase. Overseas saw large declines.
Export and Import Dynamics
Despite a challenging economic environment, the average export price for German wines in 2022 rose by €0,20, reaching a new high of €3.15 / liters. This led to a 4% increase in the value of German wine exports, totaling €370m, even though the volume decreased by 3% to 1.17m hl.
The USA, Norway, the Netherlands, the UK, and China were among the top export markets. Notably, exports to China increased by 24% in volume and 22% in value, with an average price of €512/hl
Domestic Sales and Imports
On the domestic front, the average price for German wines rose to €4.18/L, but volumes sold decreased by over 14%, leading to an 8% drop in revenue. Foreign wines also saw a decrease in both volume and revenue, with an average price of €3.64/L. Italian, French, Spanish, American, and Austrian wines topped the import lists, with significant value increases despite volume losses.
Off-Trade Remains Significant
The per capita consumption of wine in Germany declined by 4% to 19.9 liters in 2022, while sparkling wine consumption remained steady at 3.2 liters. The majority of wine purchases (64%) were made through retail, with discount stores accounting for 37% of these sales.
These figures paint a complex picture of the German wine market in 2023. The shift in consumer behavior, influenced by economic factors and price changes, has led to noticeable changes in market shares and consumption patterns. The resilience of certain segments, like German wine in terms of revenue and Italian wine in market share, highlights the dynamic nature of the wine industry.
The report can be found on German here.
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