Wine Trends in China

Abstract

China has become the second biggest economy in the world and growth in wine consumption has been part of the overall economic trend. This chapter provides an overview of wine consumption trends in China starting with an overview of alcohol consumption. The Chinese have always been alcohol consumers; what has changed is the move away from spirits into wine made from grapes. The reasons for this change over the last 50 years are provided as an introduction to the current market for wine in China. Very little consumption data is available from the Chinese government or from reliable data firms; so, much of this chapter is based on the two authors’ research in China over the last 6 years. Overall, there has been a move from high-priced prestige wines to lower-priced wines for informal consumption. Even with all the news about online shopping in China, just over 29% is purchased through these channels. The chapter also provides information on the key countries selling wine to China, Chinese consumers’ awareness of different countries of origin, and recommendations for growing wine sales and doing market research in China.