Germans Drink One Bottle Less Wine Per Person as Annual Consumption Drops to 21.5 Liters

Wine consumption in Germany continued to decline during the last wine business year, according to new data released by the German Wine Institute (DWI). From August 2024 to July 2025, consumers in Germany drank on average about one bottle less wine per person compared to the previous year. The figures show that people aged 16 and older consumed 21.5 liters of wine per person over the year, down from 22.2 liters in the previous period.

The DWI attributes this ongoing decrease to several factors. Changing consumer habits, higher living costs, and demographic shifts are cited as the main reasons for the drop in wine consumption. The institute notes that these trends have been observed over several years, with younger generations showing different drinking preferences and older populations gradually reducing their alcohol intake.

While wine consumption fell, sparkling wine consumption remained relatively stable. The average per capita consumption of sparkling wine dropped only slightly, by 0.1 liters, reaching 3.5 liters per person for those aged 16 and above. This minor change suggests that sparkling wine maintains a steady place in German drinking culture, even as overall alcohol consumption patterns shift.

The DWI’s wine consumption balance includes not only retail and direct purchases from producers but also wine consumed outside the home, such as in restaurants and bars. In total, Germans consumed 17.8 million hectoliters of wine and sparkling wine during the last business year. Of this amount, 15.3 million hectoliters were still wine and 2.5 million hectoliters were sparkling wine.

Based on data from the Federal Statistical Office, Germany had a population of 71.2 million people aged 16 or older during this period. When calculated across this group, the theoretical per capita consumption for both wine and sparkling wine combined was about 25 liters per year.

Industry experts are watching these trends closely as they reflect broader changes in society and consumer behavior. The German Wine Institute continues to monitor developments and expects that economic pressures and evolving lifestyles will keep influencing how much and what types of alcoholic beverages Germans choose to drink in the coming years.