Italians are not giving up wine. But changing demographics, types and consumption occasions

Over 55, with no more dependent children at home and, often (6 times out of 10) with an income above the national average. A universe of 11.3 million Italian families that is at the same time the identikit of the home wine consumer in Italy, accounting for 59% of the category’s total spending in Italian large-scale retail. Protagonists of a wine expenditure of 1.83 billion euros a year, these Boomers (with a tail of Gen X), leave almost the crumbs to the other 2 large clusters identified: families with children (7.8 million) do not reach 24% of the total expenditure, while families under 55 without dependent children stop at less than 18%. This is the cross-section that comes from the analysis presented by the Unione Italiana Vini (Uiv) Observatory and Niq (Nielsen Iq) Italy, at Simei, the world’s leading international exhibition for the wine-making and bottling machinery sector (November 12-15, Fiera Milano Rho).
“We are witnessing a trend that is taking hold”, notes Eleonora Formisano of Niq Italy, “the first tribe is growing more and more evident, while the others are struggling, particularly the low-income segments. A polarization of wine consumption based on discriminants that have become structural, such as age and economic availability”. And it is precisely the average annual expenditure that makes the difference and highlights the fatigue of Italians who, in general, to relieve the sense of outlay, have increased the frequency of purchase (+3.3%), but decreased wine consumption (-2%). And that in particular see families with children spending 5 times less on beverage purchases on average than couples over 55.
A retail area, dedicated to home consumption, is contrasted with an away-from-home channel with as many sharper trends. According to the panel surveyed by Niq Italia for Simei, today, more consumers of sparkling wine (63.4%) than still wine (61%) are consuming it. A hitherto unthinkable overtaking, if we consider that still and sparkling wines have always been the backbone of the Italian vineyard with about 4/5 of production. A mirror of the times that is also reflected in the changing occasions of consumption: today the aperitif has become - to the detriment of meals - the dominus of alcohol consumption not only for young Gen Z or Millennials but has moved to the top of habits even among 45-54-year-olds (aperitif and meals, both at 31%) and is getting closer and closer to conquering the scepter among the over-55s. A cocktail trend, finally, which is evidenced plastically in the statement that 37% of its consumers (not only young people) choose the type based on social photogenicity. “We are witnessing”, said the head of the UIV Observatory, Carlo Flamini, “a consumption revolution that for various reasons is experiencing a strong acceleration. We need to get involved in activating the generational change: in the next 20 years there will be 400 million young consumers in the world, with whom wine can and will have to dialogue to be part of the experience, not just to be it”.