Tens of thousands of hectares of vineyards are being destroyed in the European Union due to a drop in demand.
The European Union is reducing the area of its vineyards amid a record drop in global wine consumption, according to data released to the media by the Union of European Farmers and Agricultural Cooperatives Kopa-Kojeka.
"Global wine consumption, estimated at 221 million hectoliters, has reached its lowest level in more than three decades. In France, about 40,000 hectares of vineyards have already been uprooted since 2024, with another 20,000 hectares planned for removal in 2026," the organization's report states.
As the document shows, the European Union's share of global wine consumption has dropped from almost 60% in 2000 to about 48% today. Red and rosé wines have been particularly affected by the drop in demand, while excess inventory continues to put pressure on prices and producers' incomes.