THE WINE MERCHANT. An independent magazine for independent retailers
Issue 133, March 2024
Dog of the month: Otto Hattersley Wines, Bakewell
Indies’ sales are going up, but not as fast as inflation Survey shows that confidence is slowly returning, even though average wine prices only rose by 8p a bottle last year
Loxo Creative
W
ine merchants say they are
more confident about their prospects than they were a
year ago, according to this year’s Wine Merchant reader survey.
More than 200 businesses took part
in this year’s project, which is the
most detailed study of the specialist independent wine trade in the UK.
Roughly half of all merchants saw sales
increase in 2023, though with the average price per bottle of still wine rising by just 8p, to £15.78, the sector is not keeping pace with duty increases and inflation. Independents are more reliant on
wine sales than at any time since the
survey began, with spirits and beer sales continuing their relative decline.
The results also illustrate that indies
are taking an imaginative approach to
their revenue streams. Just over half of their trade now takes place at the till,
significantly down on what most indies
expected before Covid, with wholesaling,
online sales and ticketed events all playing significant roles.
Just under half of independent
merchants now offer wine to drink on
the premises, but the momentum behind the trend towards a hybrid shop and bar model appears to have slowed. Many
independents say they have no space
Continues page 2
The Wee Vinoteca is one of the independent trade's recent success stories. Owner Duncan Gammie opened his second store in 2023 and says more may follow. Read our merchant profile starting on page 36.