The proportion of wine-buying households in Germany has drastically decreased in the third quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year. This was reported by the German Wine Institute in their special newsletter, citing data from the commissioned NielsenIQ household panel, which records the purchases of private households.
Increased prices, particularly for German wines, caused a decline of about 3%. While the percentage of all buying households in 2022 was 36.9%, in 2023 this figure dropped to 33.8%. German wine fell from 25.4 to 22.6%, and foreign wines from 26.5 to 23.6%. This continues the downward trend that was already evident in the second quarter of 2023.
Significant changes
In sales volume by country, German wines lost 1.2% share in the third quarter compared to the same period last year and 0.7% compared to the second quarter of 2023. After Spanish wines gained 4.3% in the last quarterly comparison, they lost 0.8% this year and now have a market share of 15.1%. Losses were also recorded by France (–1.8%, 9.6% market share) and overseas origins (–1.1%, 3.4% market share). The clear winner is Italy, with an increase of 2.9% to 17.8% market share.
In terms of revenue, German wines held their market share well (46.4%) as average prices rose by about 10%. Italy gained 1.6% to a market share of 18%, while France, Spain, and overseas saw slight losses.
In wine colors, Germany gained 4.8% in volume in the third quarter compared to the same period in 2022, while white wine lost 1.4%, and red wine even more at –10.8%. Italy is the winner in all three wine colors, especially in white wine with a strong increase of 27.1%. The biggest volume losses, however, were recorded by overseas origins, with white wine at –48.5% and rosé wine at –34.2%.
The figures do not include out-of-home consumption, for which there are no surveys, as reported by the DWI.
