UK still wine forecast to continue declining trend

UK still wine sales volume is expected to continue on a declining path till 2023, reveals the latest Vinexpo/IWSR forecasts.

The forecasts show the segment losing 29.3 million cases between 2013 and 2023. Per capita consumption is expected to fall from 22.3 litres to 19.35 litres over the period.

The UK, the second largest importer by volume, is expected to retain third spot in the value rankings – behind the US and France – for light wine at $15.5 billion. This represents a fall from $16.6 billion recorded in 2018.

The sparkling wine, however, is set for steady growth in the UK, with consumption to reach around 25 litres per head by 2023 and volume hovering around 14 million cases. Globally, prosecco is tipped to become the major driver of sparkling wine reaching 154 million 9-litre cases.

The forecasts say the total world value of still and sparkling wines will reach more than $204 billion by 2023, despite a volatile picture for market volume.

Total world spirit volumes is expected to reach 2.8 billion 9-litre cases, driven by increases in premium and super-premium spirits.

Whiskey would be leading the surge with global growth reaching 7.9 percent over the period. Other spirits tipped to grow are gin, rum and agave-based. The UK will lead the global gin phenomenon, which will continue to grow showing CAGR of more than 4 percent between 2018 and 2023 to reach total world volume of 86.16 billion cases.

Scotch whisky is forecast to show growth at a CAGR of 1.5 percent, pushed by standard and premium segments. The volume of all Scotch whisky segments is set to reach 94.3 billion cases by 2023.