Wine Intelligence: Wine consumption among young people is changing

20 September 2021

Wine Intelligence records changes in wine consumption by young Britons and Americans, stressing in a recent analysis that traditional drinkers are aging and there is a growing polarization between young and occasional wine consumers.

For example, in 2010, in the United States, 32% of regular wine consumers were 55 and older, while 28% of them were between 21 and 34 years old. Ten years later, almost half of Americans who drink wine at least once a month are 55 or older. The phenomenon is even more pronounced in the United Kingdom, where the share of people over 55 has risen from 37% to 56%, while between the ages of 18-34 it has fallen from 24% to 14%.

According to KEOSOE, there are obviously mitigating circumstances, such as the fact that during this period, the population has increased in both countries and the average age is generally increasing. Likewise, wine has always been established as the drink of choice among consumers approaching the age of 40.
But according to British analysts, the number of wine consumers among young adults is increasing in all age groups. According to the research, those who regularly consume wine tend to dedicate more money to it, to be more involved in the category and to show more confidence in the choice of their products, even if their level of knowledge has not really improved, while in young people, their product portfolio has been extended to “hard seltzers” and other ready-to-drink beverages.