Belgium’s Wine Imports Rise as Prices Fall

Belgium’s wine imports fell slightly in value in 2025 even as volumes rose sharply, a sign that lower prices and a shift in product mix reshaped one of Europe’s most mature wine markets, according to Belgian customs data analyzed by Spain’s wine interprofessional organization, OIVE.

The country imported 1.171 billion euros worth of wine in 2025, down 0.3% from the previous year, while total volume climbed 8.8% to 321.1 million liters. That gap pushed the average import price down 8.4% to 3.65 euros per liter, underscoring the pressure on margins across the market.

The strongest growth came from packaged wines, a category that includes sparkling wine, bottled wine and bag-in-box formats. Imports in that group rose 0.3% in value to 1.121 billion euros and jumped 12.8% in volume to 278.3 million liters. The average price for packaged wine fell 11.1% to 4.03 euros per liter, suggesting that Belgium bought more wine but at lower unit prices.

Bulk wine moved in the opposite direction. Imports of bulk wine fell 11.6% in value and 11.5% in volume, to 50.7 million euros and 42.7 million liters, respectively. The average price slipped only 0.1% to 1.19 euros per liter, indicating that the decline was driven mainly by lower demand rather than a major change in pricing.

France remained Belgium’s largest supplier by value in 2025, with exports worth 573.9 million euros, down 0.9% from 2024. Italy ranked second at 180.7 million euros, down about 2.3%. In volume terms, France also led with 98 million liters, unchanged from the previous year, followed by the Netherlands at 64.9 million liters, up 120.3%, and Italy at 50.5 million liters, down 2.4%.

Spain held fourth place among Belgium’s suppliers both by value and by volume. Spanish shipments reached 104.7 million euros and 34.7 million liters, each up 5.2% from the previous year. Within packaged wines, Spain also ranked fourth by value at 100 million euros, up 5.1%, and fourth by volume at 29 million liters, up 3.3%. In bulk wine, Spain exported 4.68 million euros’ worth of product, placing fourth by value, and 5.7 million liters, ranking third by volume.

Other major suppliers to Belgium by value in 2025 included Germany, South Africa, Portugal, the United States and Chile.

The figures point to a Belgian market that is still expanding in physical terms but becoming more price-sensitive, with packaged wines gaining ground while bulk shipments continue to lose momentum. For exporters, especially those competing in the middle of the market, the data suggest that Belgium remains important not just as a consumer market but also as a distribution hub where pricing pressure is now shaping trade flows as much as demand itself.