Wine sales at big-box stores are rising as the Christmas season and other year-end holidays arrive. The preferred price range for wine has expanded from low-priced to lower mid-priced, while tastes in brands, styles, and varietals have also diversified.
According to the industry on the 25th, Emart's wine sales from last month through the 19th of this month rose about 70% from the same period a year earlier. It is the first clear year-end increase in Emart's wine sales in about three years.
This contrasts with 2023 and 2024, when a base effect from the surge in wine consumption right after the COVID-19 crisis was reflected. During the same period the year before last and last year, Emart's wine sales fell 5% and 2%, respectively, showing a sluggish trend.
Recently, as overall alcohol consumption in Korea has declined, centered on soju and beer, wine is drawing attention again. While year-end company dinners have decreased, at-home drinking and drinking alone have spread.
In fact, from the start of this year through the end of last month, sales volumes of soju and beer at Emart and Lotte Mart fell 5% from a year earlier, while wine volumes rose 12% and 20%, respectively. At Homeplus Co., the gap in sales share between soju and wine has narrowed to about 1 percentage point (p).
At Emart, the year-end sales uptrend appears to be continuing as the period coincides with the biggest wine promotion of the second half. Homeplus Co. saw a slight sales decline as overall volume fell amid the aftermath of corporate rehabilitation.
Some say wine drinking has become mainstream. A few years ago, low-priced wines known for so-called "value for money" dominated, but recently more consumers are seeking lower mid-priced wines that fit their own tastes.
By price range as of last month, Emart's wine sales in the 30,000–50,000 won range rose 32.5% from a year earlier; 50,000–70,000 won rose 27.8%; and 70,000–100,000 won rose 16.2%. Sales of high-priced wines over 100,000 won increased 10.6%.
There is also rising demand for premium wines from specific countries, regions, or wineries—such as France's Bordeaux Grand Cru and Italy's Super Tuscan—for year-end gifts or celebrations. Preferences have diversified not only for reds but also for white varietals.
The big-box industry plans to steadily pursue sales expansion in light of the growth potential of the domestic wine market. Viewing the rise in wine consumption as a structural change rather than a temporary phenomenon, it intends to increase assortments and volumes.
Ko Ara, a wine buyer at Emart, said, "Recently, consumers care more about 'what the product is' than the discount rate when buying wine," and added, "We plan to continue increasing the share of mid-priced and premium wines in line with changing customer tastes."