(ANSA) - VERONA - Consumers increasingly prefer 0.75 bottles with designation of origin on the shelves of modern distribution.
Their average price continues to grow: 5.55 euros for the 0.75 bottle in 2021 (with an increase of 4.1% on 2020), for a total value of almost 1.5 billion euros.
This is what emerged from the conference "Wine in modern distribution: perspectives and problems" held in the context of Vinitaly.
The biggest surge concerns bubbles: in 2021 they grew in volume by 17.9% and in value by 20.0%.
A success due to their overbearing entry into the ritual of aperitifs, the increasing popularity of young people, and the customs clearance as a table wine.
The modern distribution channel is progressively changing its face throughout the wine sector: not only is it confirmed as primary in terms of volumes, but continues in a constant upward qualification, selling more and more designation of origin bottles, at an increasing average price. .
The exploit of bubbles is certainly driven by the success of Prosecco, but Moscato, Fragolino, Asti and Brachetto also sell well, without neglecting the growing phenomenon of sparkling wine making of typical wines, much appreciated by consumers.
The unknown now concerns the trend of prices.
For Benedetto Marescotti, representative of the Italian Wines Union, "we need sharing and collaboration between producers and trade, a true supply chain from vine to table. We can face the current inflation crisis only in transparency - he adds - to guarantee the production sector, distribution and certainly not least, of consumers ".
Mirko Baggio, representative of Federvini expresses some concerns: "after Easter, inflation will be felt in the wine and sparkling wines sector, but the strong growth that the types in the premium segment had in 2021 gives us hope and makes us think that a repositioning of the whole sector is necessary to compensate for the high increases that have occurred for the raw material wine and for dry materials ".
Not to mention that the war in Ukraine inevitably slows down exports to Russia.
This is confirmed by Francesco Scarcelli, Coop Italia's beverage manager: "the real unknown about the market trend will concern the next few months - he notes - when the new price lists will go on the shelves, together with the decline in the purchasing power of the final consumer,