Year after year, alcohol consumption in France continues to decline. In fact, sales of alcohol, and in particular wines and spirits, have been falling since the 1960s, as shown by Statista data on the subject. This trend is said to be the result of the "Z generation", which is paying more and more attention to its health.
As a result, a new era of wine consumption is emerging with a growing trend towards fresh, acidic, fruity and low alcohol wines.
At the same time, there are fewer and fewer regular consumers of wine and alcohol and sales have been falling steadily in recent years.
In the Bordeaux region, Philippe Cazaux, the general manager of the Bordeaux Families cooperative union, shares his diagnosis in an article published by Vitisphère : "when we look at the market, it is complicated for a winegrower to make a living from his red Bordeaux wines, which are complicated to produce, sell and promote". The actors of the sector are therefore constantly innovating to revitalise their sales and revalorise their image within this new generation of consumers. They are therefore opting for more varied packaging such as the can or the return in force of the Bag-In-Box, but also by creating new ranges of alcohol-free, gluten-free or low-calorie and low-sugar products.
The growth of no-low and non-alcoholic beverages has been growing steadily over the last few years. In response to this, Bordeaux Families has invested heavily in de-alcoholisation, with a production unit that will be operational in 2023.
This trend is not limited to the wine sector, but also affects the world of spirits. Many players have therefore opted for "ready to drink" or "hardseltzer" drinks, which are becoming increasingly important in the alcoholic drinks market. These are generally so-called "healthy" drinks, low in alcohol (around 5%), calories and sugar, with fruity and acidic notes. Non-alcoholic spirits are also emerging in response to growing demand. These products, which are substitutes for spirits, are mainly used to make non-alcoholic cocktails, known as "mocktails". Beer, on the other hand, was the first to invest in the no-low alcohol market and is now taking full advantage of its growth. Indeed, beer has the largest market share in the non-alcoholic and no-low alcohol drinks sector.
This is a significant change in alcohol consumption habits that producers must take into account if they want to keep up with the expectations of French consumers.