Opinions that shape the market

Wine drinkers in the UK are more likely to be aware of and to have purchased Fairtrade wine compared with their Irish or US counterparts, according to research from Vinitrac , the global wine survey conducted by Wine Intelligence. Two-thirds of UK wine consumers revealed they were aware of Fairtrade wines, a higher awareness level than in Ireland (57 per cent), but in the US fewer than 25 per cent claimed to have heard it . The UK also leads the way for consumption of Fairtrade wines - nearly one in five drinkers reported buying Fairtrade in the past three months. This compares with 14 per cent in Ireland and only 5 per cent in the US. These figures reveal that although Fairtrade is lagging in the US, it is becoming mainstream in the UK.

Paul Medder

Project manager, Vinitrac , Wine Intelligence