If you are reading this as someone who in the wine trade, Liberty Wines has its first Independent Off-Trade Wine Report, highlighting the strength of the independent retail sector, which lies in its diversity, specialisation and flexibility. However, tracking the indie market has been challenging due to a lack of data. To address this, they collaborated with HDI (Hospitality Data Insights) to monitor bank card spending at over 100 leading independent retailers in the UK.
While the content of the report is confidential, a post on their Instagram feed revealed the report contains information on changes in consumer behaviour and spending habits since pre-COVID-19. While the last few years have been tough for independent retailers, with static sales and lower volumes due to rising prices, the overall trends since 2019 are positive. Sales in independent retailers have risen by 25%, outperforming both supermarkets and the on-trade. Additionally, more people, especially younger consumers, are shopping at independent retailers and the quality of wine sold has improved. These trends suggest a positive long-term outlook for the sector.
If you are in the trade, or even related to the trade like me, you can request the report from Liberty Wines.
