Global wine consumption fell by 2.7% in 2025, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), with the industry facing a combination of climatic variability, softer demand, and rising trade uncertainty. The OIV’s annual review found that consumption slid to 208 million hectolitres, taking the cumulative drop since 2018 to 14%. The organisation noted that evolving lifestyle preferences, shifting social habits, and generational changes continue to influence consumer behaviour in several mature wine markets.
The wine industry has faced a succession of external pressures since 2020, including the Covid-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions, and inflationary pressures, all of which have weighed on purchasing power and consumer confidence. The OIV also noted that nine of the world’s top 10 wine markets recorded lower volumes, with China, France, and the United States playing an outsized role in the global decline. In the United States, the world’s leading wine market, consumption fell 4.3% last year, which the OIV put down to reduced purchasing power, a reduction in alcohol consumption among younger consumers, and a wider selection of alcoholic beverages.
Key Factors Affecting Wine Consumption
According to the OIV’s director, John Barker, economic factors are very important, with inflation boosting production costs and hitting consumers in the pocket. He noted that wine is a discretionary product and people’s purchasing power has been impacted. The impact of tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump is still difficult to isolate among all of those factors, as well as the drop in the value of the US dollar against the euro. Barker also acknowledged that logistical problems and inflation would have some sort of knock-on effects on the wine market.
Regional Wine Consumption Trends
In France, Europe’s biggest market, consumption fell 3.2%. In China, wine consumption fell by 13% last year and by 61% since 2020. The OIV said wine demand was particularly sensitive to income and price developments in the country. Meanwhile, wine production rose 0.6% to 227 million hectolitres in 2025, but the OIV noted this was from a historically low level in 2024.
For more information on the wine industry, visit the Wine Institute website. The OIV’s report highlights the need for the industry to switch from a volume-driven model to one based on value that puts even more emphasis on quality and sustainability. The report also notes that the industry is confronted by the need to adapt to changing consumer preferences and behaviors.
Here are some key statistics on the global wine market:
- Global wine consumption fell by 2.7% in 2025
- Consumption slid to 208 million hectolitres, taking the cumulative drop since 2018 to 14%
- Nine of the world’s top 10 wine markets recorded lower volumes
- China, France, and the United States played an outsized role in the global decline
