The Numbers of Wine

 In recent months the world of wine seems to be quite eventful and news regarding its “health status” follows one another with a frequency, perhaps, never seen before. It is now well known that wine is not experiencing its best moment. Consumer preferences are changing, not only for cultural reasons in favor of new more or less healthy habits, but also due to the growing competition from “new drinks”, riding the success of current fads. Many of these drinks, evidently, contain alcohol, therefore the supposed health trend of these times does not seem to find a completely convincing response. It must also be said, in this regard, that since wine is among the most widespread and consumed alcoholic beverages in the world, when it comes to pointing the finger against alcohol consumption, it is inevitable that it is the first one to end up to the side of the guilty ones and therefore become the scapegoat. With all due respect to all other alcoholic drinks, including those with alcohol volumes much higher than that of wine.

 Wine consumption is decreasing, or rather, it is increasing. Young people's interest in wine has decreased, or rather not: they are crazy about the beverage of Bacchus. The export of Italian wine is in crisis, but no. I am very passionate about numbers but, unlike what happens in mathematics, those that have been read in recent months and relating to wine events seem to have decidedly bizarre behavior. Of course, statistics – which makes extensive use of mathematics – is based on its own principles and its numbers can be both irrefutable and questionable, depending on the basis and significant reliability of the sample examined. Sometimes, in fact, we read news that highlights simple percentages, without even mentioning either the sample examined or the sampling method. Easy journalistic tricks, one might say, simply reporting the evidence of a fact, completely ignoring its course and how it occurred. In short, in the same way as what the infamous “caption effect” produces when placed under an image which, as we all know, is worth a thousand words, although words often change the image.

 A few weeks ago a new study was presented about wine consumption in Italy, conducted by the UIV Observatory (Italian Wine Union) based on ISTAT (Italian National Institute of Statistics) data for the last 12 years. Specifically, the study compares the situation of wine consumption in Italy in 2023 in relation to the changes that have occurred over the last 12 years. The data presented in the study paint a picture in which it is clear that, in Italy, changes are taking place regarding consumption methods and habits, with a substantially unchanged percentage of consumers. Specifically, in 2023 wine was consumed by 29.4 million Italians, with the female share increasing. Habits and frequency of consumption are the factors that highlight the most substantial change: there is a tendency to favor occasional consumption and with greater awareness, probably also determined by health and legal considerations. In fact, daily wine consumers drop to 11.7 million, 400 thousand less than in 2022.

 Overall, during 2023, 23 million hectoliters of wine were consumed in Italy and – compared to 2011 – the number of consumers increased by 2%, despite however recording significant changes in habits. Italian consumers are represented by 58% of males and the remaining 42% of females; among new consumers, the percentage is higher in the female population than in the male population. The new wine consumers, however, seem to be characterized by greater responsibility and awareness, interested – not least – also in other alcoholic beverages, therefore not just wine. This habit does not only concern the new generations and is also quite common in adults who, among the other things, are increasingly moving away from the habit of daily consumption, even to accompany meals. The choice of consuming wine seems to be increasingly in favor of informal and social occasions, such as for example on the occasion of the so-called aperitif, which today represents the custom for almost 22 million Italians, with an increase of 31% compared to 2011.

 Furthermore, the changes with respect to gender are interesting: consumption demand has increased by 10% among the female population, while in the male population it drops by 3%. As already mentioned, daily consumption is also in sharp decline, marking a drop of 22% while the habit of occasional consumption increases by 20%, for a total of 17.7 million consumers equal to 60% of the total. A significant change when compared with what happened 12 years ago, when only 48% consumed wine occasionally. Sporadic consumption, however, is a habit that does not only concern wine as it also accounts for two thirds of the total among beer consumers. The daily consumption of wine, an important habit of Italians during meals until a few decades ago, is practically absent from the habits of consumers up to 24 years of age, accounting for only 4.4%, corresponding to approximately half of the total incidence. However, even older age groups recorded substantial declines – between -20% and -50% – while 40% of consumers over 65 maintain the habit of daily consumption.

 The UIV study also focuses on the distribution of consumers in the country, thus photographing the situation in the regions. The main share of consumers in Italy based on the regional population is found in Emilia-Romagna with 61.3%, followed by Valle d'Aosta with 60.5%. Tuscany follows with 60.4% then Veneto with 59.8%. As regards the major changes relating to the Italian provinces, Trento records the greatest increase of consumers in percentage terms with 11%, while – with regards to the major contraction in consumption on a regional basis – Basilicata records a decrease by 9%. Considering, however, the primary geographical subdivisions of the country, it is the North-East that records the highest percentage of consumers in relation to the population with 59.4%, followed by the Center, with 57.4%, then the North-West – with 56.7% – followed by the South with 51.1%, finally the Islands with 46.8%.

 From these data it emerges that it is the population over 65 to represent the primary segment of consumers, while the new generations, aged under 24, make the least share and, by considering the numbers, rather marginal. Furthermore, the complexity and variety of Italians' relationship with alcoholic beverages emerges which, compared to 12 years ago, does not mainly favor wine. In consumption, in fact, wine is forced to share the glass with beer and spirits, as well as other drinks with various alcoholic contents. This characteristic – it is worth noting – does not only concern young consumers but also adults and those over 65. In this regard, it is interesting to consider the consumption of beer, preferred by 27.2 million consumers, which has increased by 9.5% in the last 12 years, also recording the significant increase of 19% among occasional consumers. In overall terms of occasional consumption, the incidence among consumers of beer (66%) is higher than that of wine (60%). Contrary to what one might imagine, it is the over 65 age group that records the main increase (+103% in 12 years) while the 18-24 age group decreases by 4%. In both cases, however, it is the group of consumers over 65 who represent the primary share of consumption, while young people under 24 represent the minority share.