UK Wine Imports Rise in Volume but Fall in Value in 2024

In 2024, the United Kingdom increased its wine imports by volume by 2.4% but reduced them by 3.7% in value, according to British customs data. The total value of wine imports reached 3.909.8 million pounds, equivalent to about 4.725.1 million euros, with a total volume of 1.262.5 million liters. The average price per liter was 3.10 GBP, or 3.75 euros. The UK ended the year as the second-largest wine importer globally, following the United States in value and Germany in volume. This value marks the third-highest in the historical series. The volume of imports increased compared to 2023, a year noted for particularly low figures. The average price remained above 3 pounds per liter.

The UK saw a rise in bulk wine imports while reducing those of bottled wines. Sparkling wine imports increased in volume but decreased in value, opposite to the trend for Bag-in-Box (BiB) wines. Bulk wine imports rose by 11.8% in value and 7.2% in volume, while bottled wine imports fell by 6.6% in value and 0.7% in volume. Sparkling wine imports grew by 2.3% in volume but dropped by 4.2% in value, whereas BiB wine imports increased by 1.7% in value but decreased by 6.9% in volume. Bottled wine accounted for 2.320.1 million pounds and 602.7 million liters, representing 59% of the expenditure and 48% of the total volume of wine imported by the UK last year.

France and Italy remained the main suppliers, with France leading in value and Italy in volume. Notably, there was a significant increase in UK imports of Chilean wine. In 2024, the UK imported wine from 66 global suppliers. In terms of value, purchases were heavily concentrated in France, with 1.417.6 million pounds, a decrease of 7.6%, and Italy, with 940.5 million pounds, a slight increase of 0.4%. Together, these two countries accounted for 60% of the UK's wine import expenditure. In terms of volume, Italy was the leading supplier, providing 304.5 million liters, a 3% increase, which constituted 24% of total imports. Australia followed with 185.8 million liters, a decrease of 0.8%, and France with 174.6 million liters, a 0.4% increase.

Spain ranked as the third-largest wine supplier to the UK in value, with 340.7 million pounds, a decrease of 4.3%, and fourth in volume, with 135.5 million liters, a decrease of 4.4%. Overall, the UK reduced its wine imports from Spain by 15.4 million pounds and 6.3 million liters in 2024. Chilean wine imports to the UK showed strong performance, increasing by 10% in value to 179.7 million pounds and by 16.6% in volume to 117 million liters. Chile remained the sixth-largest supplier in value and fifth in volume. The UK also saw increases in wine imports from the United States, up 0.1% in value and 7.5% in volume, and South Africa, up 0.6% in value and 0.7% in volume.

New Zealand experienced a 10% decrease in value, down to 248.8 million pounds, but a 7% increase in volume, reaching 75.4 million liters, as its average price dropped by 16% to 3.30 GBP per liter. France and Italy remained the primary suppliers of bottled wine to the UK in 2024. The UK reduced its spending on French bottled wine by 6.5% to 903 million pounds and maintained stable spending on Italian bottled wine at 447 million pounds. In volume, the UK increased imports of Italian bottled wine by 2.6% to 157 million liters and French bottled wine by 6.3% to 143 million liters. Spain was the third-largest supplier of bottled wine to the UK, both in value, with 271.5 million pounds, a decrease of 4.4%, and in volume, with 91.6 million liters, a decrease of 4%.

New Zealand's performance was notably poor in 2024, maintaining fourth place in value with a 31% decrease but falling to seventh in volume with a 28% decrease, surpassed by South Africa and Australia. France, Italy, and Spain were the main suppliers of sparkling wine to the UK, with only Italian sparkling wine showing growth in 2024. Italy, France, and Spain accounted for 98.5% of the UK's sparkling wine imports. Among them, only Italy showed positive growth, with a 1.3% increase in value and a 5.8% increase in volume, maintaining its lead in volume with 124.6 million liters. France followed with 25.3 million liters, a decrease of 3.8%, and Spain with 14.3 million liters, an 11.3% decrease. France led in value with 493.9 million pounds, representing 48.5% of total spending, a decrease of 8.8% from 2023. Italy followed with 462.4 million pounds, a 1.3% increase, and Spain with 46.1 million pounds, a 5% decrease.

Italy was the leading supplier of BiB wine to the UK, accounting for 40% of the value and 49% of the total volume in 2024. Italy provided 17.2 million pounds, a 2% increase, and nearly 11 million liters, a 0.4% increase. France followed in value with a 16% increase, and Spain in volume with a 4.4% decrease. Australia experienced a significant decline, around 58% in both value and volume, while South Africa, Chile, and New Zealand saw increases. Australia remained the top supplier of bulk wine to the UK, with an excellent year for New Zealand's bulk wine. The top six bulk wine suppliers to the UK were from the New World, with limited relevance for European suppliers, with Spain being the first among them in seventh place. Australia maintained its lead with 154.2 million liters, a 1.6% increase, and 136.5 million pounds, an 8% increase. The UK's bulk wine imports showed the best performance in 2024, with a 12% increase in value and a 7% increase in volume. New Zealand saw a notable increase of 55%, ranking as the fifth supplier. Spain was the seventh-largest supplier of bulk wine to the UK, with 15.7 million pounds, a 3% increase, and 22.9 million liters, a 1.7% decrease.