Wine Drinkers Down by a Million in France
Staff Writer - September 19, 2005
 According to a new study published on September 15, 2005, the French are drinking less and less wine, counting 1 million fewer wine drinkers today than five years ago.
The study from the National Interprofessional Office of Wine, reports that in 2005 a little over half the French population, that is some 32 million people, drink wine on a regular basis, down from 33 million in 2000.
In addition, the study revealed that almost all regular wine drinkers are over 35, with young folks drinking less than their parents.
As the French wine industry struggles to keep up with new and old producers worldwide, facing an ever more competitive international market, according to the study the national average wine consumption has fallen by more than half in the past 40 years, from 160 liters (42 gallons) annually per-capita in 1965, to less than 70 liters (18 gallons) per person in 2005.
Another finding is that occasional drinking has overtaken regular wine consumption among French citizens. In 1980 about two-thirds of the people interviewed said that they drank wine daily, in 2005 only one third say they drink wine every day.
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