In France attitudes about alcohol in general and alcohol-free wines in particular are changing as alcohol awareness campaigns highlight the health risks and well-being trends gain traction.
Recently, in Paris the first alcohol-free wine store in France opened – becoming a physical representation of the changing role that alcohol products and alcohol-free products are playing in the lives of French people.
We’re responding to very strong demand. We’re already receiving proposals to open similar shops elsewhere in France,” said Mr. Augustin Laborde, owner and founder of the first alcohol-free wine store in Paris, as per Reuters reporting.
Mr. Augustin Laborde, owner and founder, first alcohol-free wine store, Paris.
According to data from alcohol industry group International Organisation of Vine and Wine, in 2021 France was the second largest consumer of wine, behind only the United States. Until recently, France had not been following the international trend towards greater demand for alcohol-free products. But consumption of non-alcoholic wine grew by 4% in 2021, compared with growth of 24% worldwide, consultancy group IWSR Drinks Market Analysis found, according to Reuters.
We see a strong interest for low-alcohol and no-alcohol beverages,” said alcohol addiction researcher Mickael Naassila, as per Reuters.
People are more concerned about their health.”
Mickael Naassila, Professor, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France, and Director, Research Group on Alcohol & Pharmacodependences, and President, Société Française d’Alcoologie
Prof. Naassila was part of the first ever Dry January in France, in 2020 and he wrote about the work and experience for Movendi International.
The first ever Dry January campaign in France faced stiff opposition from the wine lobby and from President Macron. After originally committing to the campaign, the government withdrew its support in a bow to the lobby pressure of the alcohol industry.
But more than 30 civil society groups joined forces, defied the President and wine lobby and accomplished a remarkable success in the first year of the January challenge “à la française”.
It was an early indication for the people’s interest in more alcohol-free environments and products. The numbers of participants and support were impressive and the story behind the success was and is inspiring.
The trend towards more consumption of alcohol-free products has been slower in France than in other Western countries. But wine consumption has fallen from 20th-century peaks. It dropped from over 20 litres of alcoholic drinks sold per inhabitant in 1961, to 5.6 litres in 2020, according the French Observatory of drugs and addictive tendencies (OFDT).
French people realize that they have to decrease their level of alcohol consumption,” said Prof. Naassila, according to Reuters.
Mickael Naassila, Professor, Université de Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France, and Director, Research Group on Alcohol & Pharmacodependences, and President, Société Française d’Alcoologie