Despite a tumultuous few years, the wine industry is set to grow by 5.2% annually until 2027*. This growth is set to be driven by new developments and emerging trends, so as the year draws to a close, we look at what those trends will be in 2024.

Organic Wine:

Organic food and drink sales in the UK have increased by 25% over the last 3 years, hitting £3.1billion in 2022 (according to the Soil Association Certification’s Organic Market Report 2023), demonstrating that sustainable food and drink is here to stay as consumers demand to know where their food comes from, and how it is farmed.

Natural Wine:

As our planet warms and more adverse weather conditions affect agriculture, farming becomes increasingly marginal. The process of re-evaluating what can grow where, ensuring that the
right grapes are cultivated for these changing conditions means a move towards more sustainable grape growing, focussing on native grapes that belong in their landscape. Dry-grown cultivars, hardy varietals and natural fermentation will become more commercial.

Sustainable Wine:

We all have a responsibility to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and this is driving developments in lighter packaging, new ways of transporting goods, and investment in
renewable energy. Research from Vypr’s 2023 Food and Drink Intelligence Report shows consumers are starting to perceive sustainable brands as better quality. It found that 29% would pay a lot more for proven eco-friendly products, while their Future of Alcoholic Drinks Industry 2023/2024 report found that 78% of consumers were more likely to buy a product if it were sustainable.

Premiumisation:

Despite the cost-of-living crisis, research shows that consumers are still looking to trade up. According to Vypr, 43% of consumers plan to buy more premium alcohol in the next year. This is partly because 37% are drinking less, so when they do drink, they want a more premium experience. They perceive premium alcohol as delivering a superior quality and drinking experience, and they are prepared to pay for that. The main reasons given for choosing premium were for gifting and special occasions, better taste, higher quality ingredients and more authenticity and ethical sourcing.

Low ABV:

The last few years has seen a boost in no-alcohol wines, beers, and spirits, but the trend about to explode is for lower and tweaked levels of alcohol, especially thanks to the UK government’s new duty rules. In August 2023 there were significant tax increases for wines of 11.5% and over, adding 44p a bottle in tax alone. Not only has this create demand for wines just below 11.5% but it has also opened up opportunities for lesser-known wines which have always been made at a lower abv, such as Moscato, Asti and Brachetto d’Acqui.

E-Commerce:

Online wine sales sky-rocketed by 131% during the Covid pandemic, valuing $6bn/year in 2021. Despite the world opening up again, consumers have grown accustomed to the wide selection and ease of access that e-commerce offers, and this market value is set to continue to grow to $42bn by 2025.

Lightweight:

Packaging trends are all about sustainability, and bottle weight is high on the agenda. Shipping heavyweight bottles on boats across the world has become increasingly frowned upon, and alternatives have become far more acceptable. Technology has reduced the weight of the typical wine bottle, from a traditional 550g to 420g as standard.
Duping the consumer into thinking they are buying high quality wine by putting it in a mega weight bottle is becoming a thing of the past. Honesty, integrity, and transparency is the future.

Cans:

Since 2019, the canned wine revolution has proven hugely successful with sales across Europe increasing annually and expected to reach 311m cans in 2024. There is evidence to support aluminium cans as one of the most recyclable forms of packaging; figures show that 75% of all of the aluminium ever produced is still in use today. Glass shortages due to high energy prices have driven some retailers to look to cans as a replacement for mini bottles of wine. Vypr’s 2023 Food and Drink Intelligence Report found that 67% of consumers felt positive about drinking premium alcohol varieties from a can, so long as taste isn’t affected.
Cans are a great way to attract young and new consumers to wine and are perfect for outdoor events. Consumers are used to drinking beer, soft drinks, and premixed spirits from cans, so why not wine?

Small Format:

Encompassing many of the trends already discussed, small formats make it easier for consumers to reduce both their carbon footprint and alcohol intake, and can also offer them premium drinks with a lower financial outlay. Perfect for mail-order deliveries, cook-at-home boxes or “dine in for two” deals, these miniature bottles have massive potential.

*Source: The Benchmark International 2023 Global Wine Market Report