Global wine consumption falls to its lowest level since 2018

The global wine market entered 2025 under pressure, with worldwide consumption estimated at 208 million hectoliters, down 2.7% from 2024, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine in its annual report released Tuesday. The organization said the decline continued a pattern that has been in place since 2018, when global wine consumption began a steady slide that has now reached 14% over that period.

The OIV said the drop reflects both long-term changes in drinking habits and a more difficult economic climate in recent years. In many established wine markets, changing lifestyles, shifting social behavior and generational differences have altered how often people drink wine. Since 2020, the sector has also had to absorb the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions and inflation, all of which have reduced purchasing power and weakened consumer confidence.

The report pointed to China, France and the United States as the main drivers of the global decline. China has seen the sharpest contraction, losing about 2 million hectoliters a year on average since 2018. France has remained on a long downward path that began decades ago. The United States, still the world’s largest wine market, has recently slowed after years of resilience.

High prices also weighed on demand in 2025. The OIV said average prices remained elevated in part because production volumes were relatively low and inflation continued to affect costs. Nine of the world’s 10 largest wine markets recorded lower consumption than in 2024. Portugal, Brazil and Japan were among the few large markets that showed relative strength.

The European Union accounted for 100.6 million hectoliters of consumption in 2025, or 48% of global demand. That was down 3.1% from 2024 and 6.9% below the five-year average. France remained Europe’s largest wine-consuming country at 22 million hectoliters, down 3.2% from the previous year and 7.2% below its five-year average. Italy, the EU’s second-largest market and the third-largest globally, fell 9.4% to 20.2 million hectoliters, returning to pre-Covid levels. Germany consumed an estimated 17.8 million hectoliters, down 4.3%, while Spain fell to 9.4 million hectoliters, a decline of 5.2%.

Portugal stood out as an exception inside the bloc. Consumption rose 5.6% to 5.6 million hectoliters, a record high and the strongest level ever recorded in the country. Romania also posted growth, with consumption up 11% to 3.5 million hectoliters. Austria remained stable at 2.4 million hectoliters, continuing a narrow range that has held since 2015.

Outside the European Union, Britain’s consumption fell 2.4% to an estimated 12.3 million hectoliters, keeping it among the world’s largest markets but on a softer trajectory than in previous years. Russia’s consumption declined 5.5% to 8 million hectoliters, roughly in line with its five-year average. Switzerland continued its long-term decline, slipping to 2.3 million hectoliters.

In the United States, consumption was estimated at 31.9 million hectoliters in 2025, down 4.3%. The OIV said the slowdown appeared tied to demographic shifts, changing beverage preferences and greater price sensitivity among consumers. Canada also weakened, falling 3% to 2.8 million hectoliters.

China’s market dropped sharply again in 2025, falling 13% to 4.8 million hectoliters as demand continued to adjust after years of contraction that began in 2018. The OIV said wine demand there remains highly discretionary and sensitive to income and price changes, while consumption is moving away from protocol-driven and gift-related buying toward more fragmented consumer-led patterns.

Japan was one of Asia’s brighter spots, with consumption rising 6.8% to 3.3 million hectoliters, close to its five-year average.

In South America, Argentina’s consumption fell for a fifth straight year to 7.5 million hectoliters, down 2.6%. Brazil moved in the opposite direction and reached what the OIV described as its highest consumption level on record at 4.4 million hectoliters, up 41.9% from a weak result in 2024 and well above its five-year average.

South Africa remained Africa’s largest wine market but saw consumption fall 7.7% to an estimated 4 million hectoliters after stronger levels in the previous three years. Australia’s market declined modestly to 5.3 million hectoliters, down 2.2%, keeping it among the world’s top consuming countries even as demand softened across much of the sector.

The report comes as producers across Europe, North America and parts of Asia continue to face weaker demand at home while navigating higher costs and uneven trade conditions abroad.