Christmas in wine shop: great red wines and Champagne, but many foresee decreasing sales

Slightly more than half of Italian wine shops, in summer 2024, registered a decrease in the sales compared to 2023. And slightly less than half of them forecasts decreasing affairs, albeit slightly, in view of the end of the year, a moment which has been always crucial for wine business. For many, as always, it will be the most important moment for great denominations of Italian red wines, followed by sparkling wines, Champagne leading, but also by Metodo Classico wines of Italy, and not only. And the vast majority agree on the fact, that younger people are less inclined to consume alcohol beverages compared to previous generations. A survey by Vinarious, the Association of Italian wine shops, guided by Andrea Terraneo counting even 120 associates all over Italy for an overall turnover of 50 million euros, states that. The comparison between 2023 summer sales and 2024 reveals a challenging context: 54.5% of wine shop managers signal a decrease of the turnover, even if it is slight in percentage, whilst only 9.1% registered an improvement. For the remaining 36.4%, volumes remained the same. Particularly, regarding white wines, summer sales remained stable for 54.5% of wine shop managers, whilst only 9.1% revealed an increase. Similar data emerges for sparkling wines, confirming a summer season influenced bu economical and climatic factors which limited the sales. Still looking at next future, even if the forecasts for Christmas season still reflect some uncertainties, with 45.5% of interviewed people foreseeing a drop, it is important to note that a significant part of wine shop managers, equal to 27.3%, is optimist towards a possible increase, a signal that the market can hold positive surprises. Looking at the next celebrations, growth potentialities for product categories are clear: a clear dominance of the denominations of red wines is highlighted, indicated as a product with the highest foreseen growth (45.5%), followed by Champagne (36.4%), by Italian Metodo Classico (9.1%), and by sweet wines or raising wines (9.1%). An analyzed theme and that deserves attention is that of the awareness by the consumer about natural wines: “72.7% of wine shop managers – explains Vinarius – think that consumers still need more awareness about the differences compared to traditional wines. However, this necessity translates into an opportunity for the sector, which can reinforce the dialogue with the audience, valorizing wine culture, and the knowledge of its faces”. Also the theme of the inclination to the consumption underwent analyses, particularly the target of new generations (18-25 years old) showing less inclination to alcohol consumption compared to their predecessors (63.6%),was analyzed. “This trend – comments Andrea Terraneo – brings to a reflection: there is space to move young people closer to an aware consumption, valorizing cultural and sensory experience that wine can offer, well beyond the mere function of beverage. Therefore, also in an uncertain context, it is possible to identify market directions, and take inspirations to face the future with awareness and vision, supporting the choices of Italian consumers with proposals that match their needs and preferences. Wine shops – concludes president Vinarius – continue to be a point of reference to understand consumption trends. The direct dialogue with the audience offers a unique perspective on the market, and it allows to observe the changes in the choices of consumers in real-time. The data collected by Vinarius, year after year, confirms to be an authoritative source for the entire wine industry”.