The latest data from the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) has found that as Switzerland came out of lockdowns and COVID restrictions, people celebrated with a glass of vino. In 2021, people in Switzerland drank 255 million litres of wine, 4,9 million litres more than in 2020.
After a slump which was blamed on the COVID crisis, the government found that the adult Swiss population drank roughly 26 litres of wine per person in 2021. FOAG explained that since most COVID restrictions were scrapped, people in Swiss cities and ski resorts have been able to enjoy a glass of wine in bars and restaurants once again, leading to the rise.
In the battle between red and white wine, it was red that came out on top with 167 million litres consumed compared to 88,2 million litres of white wine. However, white wine saw the largest increase in consumption with an extra 4 million litres consumed in 2021, the highest amount of white wine drunk in Switzerland since 2013.
The trend towards sparkling wines continued, with proseccos and champagnes seeing a 14,2 percent increase compared to 2020. Again, this is partly due to the fact that unlike 2020, large events and celebrations like marriages were not hampered as much by COVID restrictions in 2021.
FOAG said that more people in Switzerland are drinking imported wine, with consumption of non-Swiss white and red wine increasing by 14,8 and 3,4 percent respectively. For Swiss wines, consumption only rose by 2,8 percent, meaning that of the wines bought in Switzerland during 2021, only 35,4 percent were Swiss.