Ireland buys more wine as European sales fall

Figures compiled by the Wine Development Board of Ireland show that the wine market is growing by approximately 4% per year, at a time when other European markets are contracting.

The figures also show that Irish consumers are spending slightly higher amounts and choosing higher quality wines.

The average retail sale price (RSP) of a 75cl bottle of wine has increased from €7.46 to €7.71 in the last twelve months, reflecting a trend towards finer wines, with both SuperValu and Centra, witnessing a rise in the proportion of sales in the €9.00 to €11.00 price range from 13% to 16.3% of total sales.

The figures were announced at an exclusive Wine Tasting event to mark the introduction of 61 new wines from seven wineries in Chile, South Africa, Australia and France to SuperValu and Centra stores throughout Ireland.

175 locally owned SuperValus countrywide provide off-licences, with 200 Centra stores offering off-licence facilities and a further 180 stores holding a wine licence.

Musgrave SuperValu-Centra (MSVC) has also announced that it is on target to reach €95m in wine sales during 2006.

SuperValu and Centra collectively hold a 16% share of the off-licence wine market in Ireland with the Group’s independent retailers holding the largest share of the national supermarket off-licence sector, accounting for a market share of 21% and retail sales of €293m in wines, beers and spirits.