Wine overtakes beer in German drinks market

Published: 23 July, 2008

Germany has traditionally been one of the world's biggest beer consumers but a new report has shown wine is now coming to the fore in the country's drinks market.

The Germany Food and Drink Report Q2 2008 from Research and Markets has highlighted how the country's wine producers are experiencing a boom in contrast to declining beer sales.

Beer sales fell to their lowest levels in 2007 since records began in 1993 while the BMI has predicted sales to drop a further 3.5% over the next five years.

In stark contrast to this, the German wine industry has seen sales increase by 11.1% in the last five years with value sales growth forecasted to increase by 11.3% by 2012.

German wine's growing international reputation, increasingly health-conscious drinkers and high unemployment have all been cited as reasons for the decline of beer and emergence of wine in the country.

The report stated: "Over half of the wine consumed in Germany is domestically produced and this figure is expected to rise as Germany's wine industry continues to market itself successfully.

"In 2007 German wine exports rose by 8% and since 2002 exports to of Riesling to the US have tripled.

"The UK remains the country's most important export market accounting for a quarter of all Germany's wine exports and here too German wine is increasingly being bought by sophisticated wine drinkers rather than just by price-conscious consumers wanting something sweet."

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