Especially for young people

Demand for non-alcoholic wines on the rise

Young target groups are increasingly turning to non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines (symbolic image).

(Bild: stock.adobe.com)

Austria's food trade sold 2.6% less wine between October 2023 and September 2024. At the same time, demand for non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines increased, according to Österreich Wein Marketing GmbH.

In addition, domestic wines performed significantly better than foreign wines in food retail sales. By September 2024, 5.8 percent fewer foreign wines had been purchased, while sales fell by 2.3 percent in terms of price. The trend towards preferring domestic wines had already begun before the coronavirus pandemic.

The majority of consumption in 2023 was accounted for by restaurants and events (56%). Around four in ten wines were consumed in households, while tourists and guest workers accounted for five percent.

Exports to Germany
According to Österreich Wein Marketing GmbH, exports are becoming increasingly important. In 2023, wine worth 248 million euros was exported to Germany. In the previous year, however, the value fell by 5.1% in the first three quarters. For 2024 as a whole, exports to Germany are expected to be slightly weaker than in 2023.

The fact that people are increasingly turning to non-alcoholic and low-alcohol wines is primarily due to younger target groups. In future, red wines will be increasingly promoted.