Decanter World Wine AwardsIndian women drive surge in wine consumption
- Monday 7 November 2011
Image: globalpost.com
Consumption has grown nearly 25% in the last five years, according to Indian Wine Market Outlook to 2015 – Surging Demand by Women published by a private marketing company AM Mindpower Solutions in New Delhi.
Indians consumed some 620,000 cases in 2005 but the figure has risen to 2.33m cases so far in 2011. Wine consumption is expected to reach 6.88m cases by 2015, according to the report.
Women are driving that increase, said Ankur Gupta, head of marketing for the company.
Wine consumption among women throughout India has increased by 28.7% in the last 5 years as compared to a 17.3% surge in demand from males, especially in metropolitan areas.
Gupta told Decanter.com that women are drinking more wine because they consider it a ‘sophisticated drink’ that ‘raises their stature in social gatherings.’
Increased financial independence of middle class women are also driving demand, as they can more easily ‘indulge in social events at bars and at restaurants,’ Gupta said.
Red wine accounts for 51% of all wine consumption in India, but more than two out of three women prefer red over other wines because they see red wine as an antioxidant that has several health benefits, Gupta added.
Have your say!
ravi singh
January 20 12:02
George-your absolutely right,
the Indian consumer has a distinct preference for the new world styles of wine.
There is however a sizable market that prefers marquis over value for money.
So in India consumers pay some of the highest prices for wine in the world be it entry level or First growths.
George Mc
January 05 03:20
Re James: I disagree that the future of the Indian wine market is dependent on the outcome of the FTA between India and the EU. Australian, South African, and New Zealand wine will easily fill the void. Indians have already proven that they are more willing to expand their pallets beyond EU produced wine - it's not like China where selling non-French wine is difficult for purely snobbish reasons. Although consumption of Bordeaux is currently sitting around 3.25M cases (PA) in China that figure is likely to drop as the Chinese become more cultured and more likely to appreciate the wines of the world for their quality rather than their place of origin.
It's interesting that the boom in French wine exports has more to do with non-sophistication and snobbishness than anything else! I doubt the Indian market will follow China's example in this regard.
James Swann, Ditton Wine Traders
November 08 14:19
Growth is impressive but quite normal considering the changes India is undergoing and the very low base line.
The development of the wine market and India is, at present, entirely dependent on the outcome of the free trade agreement - its terms and time frame for enactment - under negotiation between the EU and India (reported on in Decanter magazine previously).
China currently imports a little under 3.5million cases of Bordeaux alone and development in India will be longer-term than Hong Kong.
Nonetheless, as the report suggests, all the signs in India are encouraging.