UK set to overtake France as world’s biggest wine consumer
21 Jan 2015
The increasingly prosperous Britain will outstrip top producer France to become the world's biggest consumer of wine this year, according to the International Wine and Spirits Record as well as Vinexpo, a wine exhibition and forum.
The nation's thirst for wine has suffered since the global recession of 2008, with total wine consumption falling by about 10.5 per cent every year. But with the UK once more among the world's leading economies, demand has recovered strongly.
"We can confidently say that 2015 will show that the UK wine recession is over," said Guillaume Deglise, chief executive of Vinexpo.
"While the UK market shed 9.6 million cases between 2008 and 2013, it is now past that point. The UK wine trade is building value and many leading marketers report progress at the premium end," he added.
Vinexpo figures show that white wines remain the most popular, but closely followed by reds. Sparkling wines such as the expensive Champagne remain at the bottom of the average buyer's list.