Liberty Wines’ 2026 Independent Off-Trade Wine Report finds that the UK independent wine retail sector has faced a difficult two years, with overall spend falling by 5% between March 2024 and March 2026. Despite this, spend remains around 20% above 2019 levels, and performance varies considerably between retailers. More than 40% of independents have grown sales, with roughly one in four increasing sales by more than 10%. The report argues that the strongest performers tend to focus on high-quality wine, attracting new customers and offering a broad, distinctive range rather than attempting to compete directly with supermarkets on price.
A central argument is that a quality-led strategy remains the most sustainable route to growth. Average spend per bottle in independents has risen by 23% since 2019, compared with 21% in supermarkets, but Liberty Wines estimates that around 60p more per bottle is now going towards the wine itself in independents, whereas the equivalent amount in supermarkets has fallen slightly. Although independent wine volumes have declined, they have performed six percentage points better than supermarkets, while value sales have increased by 20% compared with 10% in supermarkets. The report therefore suggests that consumers are more willing to accept higher prices when they perceive a corresponding improvement in quality and value.
The biggest immediate challenge is falling customer numbers rather than lower spending by existing shoppers. Independent retailers had 9% fewer customers in March 2026 than two years earlier, while spend per visit increased by 5%, which was not enough to compensate for the decline in footfall. The report therefore highlights attracting and retaining customers as the main growth opportunity, through stronger communication, tastings, events, knowledgeable staff and distinctive ranges. Independent shoppers are also becoming younger: their average age has fallen by about two years since 2019, while their overall affluence has remained stable. Importantly, customers spending under £20 a month have broadly similar household incomes to those spending £40–£70, suggesting considerable scope to encourage lower-spending customers to visit more often and spend more.
Consumers appear increasingly willing to explore beyond established categories. Sparkling wine and rosé have performed particularly well, led by Champagne, English sparkling wine and Provence rosé, while Spain and South Africa have gained share in still wine, alongside smaller increases for countries such as Georgia, Greece and Germany. There is also growing interest in grapes such as Mencía, Monastrell, Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and Saperavi, while Merlot has lost share.
