Chilean wine exports to the UK on the up

By Lisa Riley

Published: 24 April, 2020

Chilean wine exports to the UK increased just over 7% in the last year in volume, but recorded a slight 0.5% decrease in value to US$£201m, according to new data released by Wines of Chile.

The volume growth was driven by bulk wine - up 18% in volume and by 9% in value, while bottled exports dropped by nearly 5% and 4% respectively, in the year ending February 2020.

Forecasting that Chilean exports into the UK would stay in “positive growth”, Anita Jackson, UK director, Wines of Chile, told Harpers that this growth would not be as "substantial as we were aiming for at the beginning of the year”.

“It was predicted at the beginning of the year that Chile would benefit from Brexit and some trade professionals forecast 53% growth. To date, we are not enjoying growth quite that strong, but nevertheless it’s positive,” she said.

“Chile is strong in the off-trade and this is where 82% of Chilean wine exports is sold,” she added.

Of all Chilean wine exports, the UK accounts for a 13.5% volume share and a 10.4% value share. Of this, bulk accounts for 19% in both volume and value terms, and bottles for 10% and 9% respectively.

At the beginning of this week, Harpers talked to Jackson as part of our series focusing on responses of the generic bodies to the current Covid-19 crisis.

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