The international wine market: $256 bn, but badly hit by recession

The world market for wine is worth some US$ 256 billion (2009). In volume it means 3 billion cases (@ 9 litre) – an easy number to remember – or alternatively 27 billion litres (270 million hl). The consumption per person, world wide, is 3.9l, each litre costing on average $9.5. (A surprisingly high number!)

The compound average growth rate (CAGR) over six years is 1.2% growth in volume and 3.3% growth in value. However, from a peak in 2007 (2.3% and 5% respectively) growth has fallen dramatically. Volume growth was virtually 0% in 2009 and in value only around 1.9%. (Source: an interesting report from Euromonitor International called Global Wine: Challenges and Opportunities Facing the Wine Industry)