Spend on wine “increasing significantly”
So believes NOffLA Chairman Gary O’Donovan who told Drinks Industry Ireland, “Spend on wine is always a good indicator of how people are feeling and many of our observers are commenting that the average spend on wine has increased significantly and that confidence is slowly returning to wine purchasing in Ireland as people become bored of entry-level wines flooding the market from the multiples”.
He was pleased to note that volume sales in the off-trade have slowed their decline from -3% to -1% in the November to December period. And while a hoped-for small growth in sales failed to materialise, he’d noticed less “aggression” from consumers over pricing of late.
“They seem to have become more understanding of how the multiples flex their muscles with wine, spirits and beer deals that at times border on the irresponsible,” he claimed, adding that such selling practices of the multiples go against the RTC code which his members espouse.