For the first time since measurements began, French people are drinking more beer than wine. That is according to new figures from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine. A striking development in a country that is a global symbol of wine culture, terroir.
Source: RTL | Image: Unsplash
According to the figures, French people consumed 2.2 billion litres of wine last year. This put wine consumption just below that of beer: around 10 million litres less. It is also the lowest wine consumption in France in over 70 years.
The declining trend is not new. In 1995, French people still drank some 3.5 billion litres of wine a year. In 30 years, consumption has thus declined by about 37 per cent.
Younger generation chooses differently
Especially among younger French people, drinking behaviour is changing. Health plays an important role here. Beer is more often seen as a ‘lighter’ alternative because of its lower alcohol content. Alcohol-free beer is also gaining ground: sales increased by about 12 per cent last year.
In addition, the French lifestyle is changing. Whereas wine traditionally belonged to elaborate lunches and long family dinners, those moments have become less obvious. Shorter lunch breaks and a busier daily life mean that the classic glass of wine at the table is skipped more often.
According to Martin Cubertafond of Sciences Po, this is a key explanation for the shift. Speaking to British newspaper The Times, he argues that wine is strongly linked to traditional dining occasions, the very ones that are slowly disappearing from everyday French life.
Beer more accessible than wine
Price is also a factor. Beer is generally cheaper than wine and therefore more attractive to younger consumers. Wine is more often saved for special occasions, while beer more easily positions itself as an informal thirst quencher.
Yet France remains an absolute superpower in the wine world. French people still drink more wine than residents of other European countries. Moreover, France is still the European Union's biggest wine exporter.
Above all, the figures show that even at the heart of classic wine culture, consumer behaviour is changing and the wine world is having to adapt ever more emphatically to a new generation of drinkers.
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