No-Lo wines, “a prompt adoption of the decree implementing the fiscal framework is needed”

“For Italian wineries, competing on equal terms in the field of so-called dealcoholized wines with European competitors and not only is still not possible. The reason is that the “legal” green light is still missing. Thus, as 2025 draws to a close, Unione Italiana Vini - Uiv is urging the conclusion of the dealcoholized wine dossier through the prompt adoption of the interministerial decree by the Ministries of Economy and Agriculture, implementing the fiscal regulations, which has been stalled for over two months at the State Accounting Office”, as stated in a letter sent today by Uiv to the two competent ministries (Agriculture and Economy). “mANY Italian wine companies - reports Uiv - have made significant investments both in infrastructure through the purchase and installation of dealcoholization equipment, and in training and product positioning in the market”.
“We have long been asking the Government to allow us to operate under competitive conditions equal to other European producers  - said Uiv secretary general Paolo Castelletti -  who have benefited for four years now from the advantage introduced by the EU Regulation published in December 2021. Our companies have been ready for some time, many have already invested, but in practice, dealcoholizing in Italy is still prohibited. For this reason, we are calling for urgent approval of the fiscal decree” (Decree-Law of June 17th, 2025, No. 84, containing “Urgent provisions on fiscal matters”).
According to Uiv Observatory, the No-Lo (no and low alcohol) sector is one of the few growing segments in a global context of severe difficulties for wine. The current global market for the No-Lo category, which includes dealcoholized products, is worth 2.4 billion dollars and is expected to reach 3.3 billion dollars by 2028. This niche market is estimated to have a compound annual growth rate (Cagr 2028/24) of 8% in value and 7% in volume. This year, alcohol-free products alone are accelerating, and according to Uiv analysis based on NielsenIQ data, in the retail circuits of the USA, UK, and Germany, zero-degree wines, though still a minority share, are experiencing exponential growth: in the first nine months of the year, volumes in the German market increased by +46%, with a 5% share of the total No-Lo category, while the UK market saw +20% growth (23% of the total) and the US market +18%, with a 17% share of the low-alcohol category. Except for the German market, which is trending downward compared to the overall market (-23%), Italian alcohol-free wines (necessarily produced abroad) are performing well in the UK (+6% in volume and +10% in value) and in the US, with +17% in volume and +24% in value. In this market, Italy accounts for 6% of total zero-degree wine sales, a share which rises to 11% in Germany and 24% in the UK.