Wine Industry Statistics - Domestic Wine Sales

Australian Domestic Wine Sales

• Australian domestic beverage wine sales and imports, by type
• Domestic sales of Australian table wine, by container type
• Wine imports by country of origin

Domestic Wine Sales

According to the ABS, total Australian domestic sales—including imported wines—increased by 4.6% during 2009-2010 to 535.1 ML (see table). Domestic sales of Australian-produced wine increased by 4.7% to 470.8 ML.

The market share of domestic wines has reduced in comparison with that of imported wines which made substantial inroads in the Australian domestic market. Australian-produced wine accounted for 88% or total sales, while imports accounted for 12%. In 2006-07, Australian-produced wines comprised 92.9% of total domestic sales. Sales of Australian-produced fortified remained flat while sales of red and white table wine and sparkling wines increased. There has been a steady growth of domestic sales in the 'other' category which comprises vermouth, carbonated wines and flavoured wines including cocktails, marsala, aperitif and tonic wines, de-alcoholised wine and low and reduced alcohol wines. This category increased by 34.1% this year and now accounts for 3.9% of all domestic sales of Australian wines.

Sales of domestic table wine sold in glass containers of less than two litres rose (+ 6.2%) for the second straight year after suffering a drop in 2007-08 (see table). In 2009-10, 204.9 ML (55.3% of domestic sales) were sold in glass containers less than two litres, comprising 102.6 ML of red/rosé wine (+6.7%) and 102.3 ML of white wine (+3.3%). The amount of table wine sold in soft packs fell again to 155.6 ML (-3.2%). Soft pack sales comprise 42% of the total domestic sales. In 2000-01 soft packs accounted for 54.1% of sales.

Imports

According to the ABS, the volume of Australian wine imports increased by 3.3% in the past year to 64.3 ML yet the value decreased by 3.1% to A$458.7 million. Imports now account for 12.0% of domestic wine sales, up from 7.1% in 2006-07 (see table).

Imported table wine sales at 54.2 ML represented 84.3% of imported wines and 10.1% of all table wine sales in Australia. Sparkling wine accounted for 8.4 ML or 13.1% of all imports and imported sparkling wine accounted for 17.3% of all sparkling wine consumed in Australia. The average price per litre of imported table wine dropped by 6.2% from A$7.61 to A$7.14.

New Zealand has consolidated at the top of the list in terms of imported wines coming into Australia (see table). Australia now imports 44.4 ML of New Zealand wine at a value of $258.7 million and an average price per litre of $5.82. New Zealand imports showed volume growth of 20.1% but a decrease in value growth of 1.2%. New Zealand wines represent nearly 60% of all wines imported into Australia by volume and value.

France regained its second place listing this year and pipped Italy on volume and value with 7.0 ML at a value of $129.6 million and an average price per litre of $18.56. French wines hold 28.2% of the total value of imported wine sales in the Australian domestic market.