“French still wine purchases have decreased six-fold in 5 generations”

eclining wine consumption once again hit French super/hypermarkets hard in 2024 with NielsenIQ Homescan panels reporting that wine sales fell by 2.8% at the end of November 2024 compared with the same period in 2023. The drop in wine purchases is particularly noticeable in younger households (-17% for the under-35s and up to -20% for a couple of under-35s with no children) and among the middle classes (-15% for moderate income households, compared with a 5% increase for more affluent households). Declining consumption in 2024 was marked by inflation, family structure and income, worsened by the generation gap.

“French still wine purchases have decreased six-fold in 5 generations”, summarises Nielsen, based on 2024 figures ending in August. According to the statistics for still wines, the generation born before 1945 accounts for super/hypermarket purchases of 40 litres per consumer (representing 86% of the age group) compared with 38 litres per shopper for Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964/85% of the age group). Generation X (1965-1980) drops to 25 litres per shopper (72% of the generation) and Millennials to 12 litres per shopper (62% of the age group) whilst Generation Z (1997-2010) plummets to 7 litres (43% of the generation, not all of whom are LDA). The same trend holds true for sparkling wines, where purchases have “halved in 5 generations”.

The generation trend has multiple factors but can be explained primarily by a change in drinking occasions. A survey of 900 people in July 2023 by Nielsen concluded that “alcohol consumption is increasingly dependent on the aperitif occasion”. The occasion is an obvious target for wines as traditional mealtimes are being challenged. According to another survey of 900 people in July 2024 by Nielsen, “French meals, particularly those of younger people, are becoming deconstructed”.