While buying wine at the supermarket was once seen as a last resort, today it represents a common and strategic choice: convenience, accessibility, and an increasingly varied offering have made large-scale retail trade a consumer laboratory, capable of shaping tastes and orienting the market.
Market numbers and dynamics
The most recent data paint a clear picture: large-scale retail trade accounts for approximately 70% of the Italian wine market. It’s no longer just a question of volume, but of value.
- Declining volumes: Over the last two years, sales volume has decreased by approximately 3%.
- Growing value: in the same period, turnover increased by almost 3%, a sign that consumers are buying fewer bottles but choosing better products.
The low-end of affordable table wines is declining (-17% in five years), while DOC/DOCG and premium wines are holding up better. Sparkling wines continue to see growth (+20% since 2019), driven by Prosecco but not only: the offering is diversifying and consumers are responding. New niches are also emerging, such as low-alcohol and zero-alcohol wines, small but rapidly growing.
The message is clear: Italians drink less, but they drink better.
The guidelines of the future
Three main trends define the future of wine in large-scale retail trade:
1. The new role of private labels
While private label wines were once synonymous with low prices, today many brands are developing quality lines, with thoughtful packaging and targeted selections. For wineries, this means strategic choices: becoming a supplier to retailers, leveraging their own brand identity, or seeking a balance between the two.
2. Localism and personalization
Large-scale retail trade is evolving toward a strong territorial segmentation. It’s no longer enough to simply list “regional wine”: assortments are tailored to the region, city, and even neighborhood. The approach shifts from mass market to multi-micromarket, with offerings more closely aligned with local needs.
3. The shopping experience is transformed
The supermarket is no longer just a place to “pick bottles off the shelves”: dedicated spaces, tasting events, digital shelves with QR codes, and innovative packaging transform the wine aisle into an experiential journey. E-commerce encourages innovation, but it doesn’t replace the physical store: on the contrary, it enriches it with new stimuli.
A sector in continuous transformation
Wine in large-scale retail is no longer the little brother of the traditional channel: it is an evolving sector, where assortments, strategies, and consumer perceptions are changing rapidly.
Anyone who still considers large-scale retail trade a “second-rate” market is left behind: the challenge today is to intercept trends—from premiumization to localism, from product innovation to in-store experiences—and transform them into competitive advantages.
The future will be written by those who best understand these trends and translate them into value for consumers and producers.
