Global consumption of rosé hits record high last year

Worldwide consumption of rosé wine hit a high of 25.6m hectolitres in 2018, a 9% increase on the previous year, and a 40% increase since 2002.  

According to research released by the World Rosé Observatory (Provence wine marketing board CIVP and FranceAgriMer), at Wine Paris last week, this is an all-time high.  

France accounts for over a third (34%) of global consumption, and is the world's leading rosé consumer country, at 8.7 million hectolitres. In second place, the US accounts for 16% of consumption volumes (at 5 million hl), well ahead of all other markets (1.6 million hl for Germany, 1.2 million hl for the United Kingdom, 1 million hl for Italy.  

For France and the United States alone: “ The development of consumption in these two countries represents 95% of the growth in global consumption of rosé over ten years (3.7 million hl)”, said Brice Amato of the Provence wine marketing board. He added that while the French have the highest per capita consumption of rosé (16.2 litres/year), Americans drink far less per capita (1.9 litres/year). “The market does not seem to have reached maturity, so there is potential for growth”, added Amato.  

As the French market undergoes structural changes to sales and the American market has to deal with  the 25% additional tariff, 2020 will not be easy [for Provence wines], according to CIVP director Brice Eymard.

“But we still aim to develop internationally (less USA and more Asia) and to consolidate sales in the French market (63% of Provence sale)," he said.