Drink Retailing in France - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2025-2029)

Drink Retailing in France industry analysis

Growing competition from supermarkets, online retailers and delivery services is forcing retailers specialising in selling wine, champagne, spirits and beer to develop new strategies to remain competitive and stand out from the competition. As the industry is predominantly made up of small independent retailers, there’s still potential for many retailers to expand their online presence in order to extend their reach and offering to customers. The strongest competition comes from supermarkets, which sell a large selection of non-alcoholic drinks as well as a wide range of alcoholic drinks in various price categories. Even in the face of this strong competition, revenue is forecast to grow at a compound annual rate of 3.1% over the five years through 2025, reaching €2.6 billion. However, this growth is mainly the result of the sharp drop in sales in 2020, caused by COVID-19, and the recovery in the following years. In 2025, revenue is expected to drop by 2% as high consumer prices due to strong inflation deter sales.

Trends and Insights

• Drink retailers grapple with supermarket competition. To compete with supermarkets’ lower prices, they’re improving their online presence, bringing in delivery options and enhancing customer service to stay relevant.
• Age influences purchasing preferences. Young, price-conscious consumers flock to supermarkets, whereas older, experience-driven buyers favour drink retailers, aiming to support local businesses and seek out premium brands.
• The European Food Retailing industry is highly fragmented. Regionally specific beverage preferences, customer loyalty to local retailers and the ability of off-licences to satisfy niche market segments add to the industry's fragmentation.