France is, for the first time, consuming more beer than wine as the cost of living changes drinking habits among young people.
According to the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV), the French consumed 22 million hectoliters of wine in 2025. This value was below the 22.1 hectoliters of beer registered.
This is the lowest value in the last 70 yearsrepresenting a drop of 3.2% compared to 2024. Although France remains the largest European consumer of wine, the figures registered a drop of 7.2% compared to the average of the last five years.
According to , younger generations are drinking less and less on all social occasions. And when they drink, they tend to avoid wine.
“Data from 2025 shows that the sector is reacting to the impacts of tariffs imposed by the US, but also adapting to long-term changes related to climate and consumption patterns,” he said. John Barkerdirector general of the OIV.
Meanwhile, beer consumption remained stable in France, standing slightly above wine consumption. The consumption of non-alcoholic beer also increased by 12% in the last year, with 600 thousand liters consumed only in the months of July and August.
These changes could be related, in part, to changes in the way people live at the table and in the rituals associated with drinking.
As tariffs imposed by the USA to wine imports worsened the difficulties of a sector already pressured by adverse conditions and falling demand.
The OIV also said it has no clear indications about the possible impact of the war in Iran on the wine sector, although it expects some effects due to the consequences on consumer confidence and shipping, Barker explained.
According to him, the sector has been adapting, investing more and more in wine tourism, sustainability, and the development of products with lower alcohol content.
A Italy was the world’s largest producer of wine in 2025, with 47.3 million hectoliters, followed by France, with 35.9 million hectoliters, and Spain, with 29.4 million hectoliters, according to OIV data.
