Wine consumers in Italy are 29.4 million (1 Italian out of 2), but half drink occasionally

Despite the fact it is not one of the best historical moments for wine consumption in Italy, the most identity beverage in Italy, an expression of centuries of history, thousands of territories, but also of innovation, and modernity, it continues to be present in the everyday routine of people, to a different and objective measure, and, therefore, with an effect ranging basing on the frequency, geographical area, gender, and age. But, a far more occasional consumption wins compared to the past, demonstrating also a healthier trend which is becoming more popular (even if distorting phenomenons such as “binge drinking” don’t lack with 8 million of people having had risky behaviors connected to consumption of alcoholic drinks). According to Istat data analyzed by WineNews, in 2023, wine consumers in Italy are 29.4 million, a stable figure compared to 2022 (29.3 million), and, which indicates how one out of two Italians (50%), at their own pace, consume wine, considering a population of 58.9 million people present in Italy until 2023, December 31.
Considering the total of consumers, 3.6% drink more than half a liter of wine a day, 25.3% give themselves one or two daily glasses, with 57.8% who consume wine more occasionally, the predominant range. Therefore, about 8.5 million people (29%) in Italy drink wine daily, whether it is half a liter or simply one or two glasses. Data showing how wine is more “rooted” in the life of people than a popular beverage such as beer counting on an “audience” of 27.2 million of consumers of which 2.6 million (9.5%) choose at least a “light beer” every day.
Returning to wine, consumers are mostly in Northern Italy, particularly North-West, such that with 14.4 million arrive close (48.9%) to the half of the national total. Southern Italy arrives to 8.9 million (30.3%) overcoming by a hair Central Italy at 6.1 million of consumers. Lombardy has the highest number of wine consumers, over 5 million (17% of the total), preceding Lazio (2.8 million equal to 9.7%), Veneto (2.6 million, 8.9%), Campania (2.5 million, 8.75%), and Emilia-Romagna (2.4 million, 8.39%). Piedmont, and Tuscany, two of the most prestigious regions of Italian wine stopping at 2.2 million, and 2 million of consumers respectively.
Anyway, it has to be considered that, as Crea (Council for Agricultural Research and Analysis of Agricultural Economics) points out, in its “The Italian Agriculture Yearbook” 2023, the level of penetration differs a lot based on gender, being equal to 65% for men, and 45% for women on average. The penetration for age ranges highlights a percentage close to or over 60% for all age ranges from 25 to 74 years old, for women, the percentage rises reaching or overcoming 50% in the age range from 20 to 59 years old indicating a more recent approach of female world to wine consumption. In general, the trends in terms of frequency of consumption indicate a progressive affirmation of more responsible and aware consumer habits. In terms of preferences, a net predominance of white wines’ consumption compared to red wines, and a progressive orientation to high-quality wines, which almost equalized the table wines, are registered, in the context of a per capita consumption that has fallen again, pushed down both by consumption styles, and by the economic difficulties of the family, attesting at the pre-Covid values again.