Germany's love of sparkling wine loses its fizz
December 19, 2023
Germans drank about a fifth less sparkling wine in 2022 as in 2012, according to figures released by the Federal Statistics Office, Destatis, on Tuesday.
The study appears to support recent data showing that, while Germans are among the biggest consumers of alcohol in the world, consumption is falling — especially among young people.
How do the numbers stack up?
Destatis said that, on average in 2022, each person aged 16 and over in Germany drank five bottles of sparkling wine or 38 glasses of 0.1 liters each.
In a 10-year comparison, consumption fell by 21.2% compared with 2012, when each person drank 6.6 bottles — or 49 glasses — of sparkling wines, including sekt (German sparkling wine), prosecco, cava and champagne.
Per capita consumption was up on 2021, a time still significantly affected by the coronavirus pandemic when parties and other holiday events only took place to a limited degree.
Data based on imperial-era levy
The study was based on statistics available because of the sparkling wine tax, introduced more than 100 years ago to finance Germany's imperial war fleet — which is still levied.
In 2022, Germany's national government collected around €352 million ($385 million) from the sparkling wine tax.
It only accounted for 0.04% of total federal, state, and local tax revenue.
Destatis noted that, in comparison, €600 million flowed to Germany's states from the beer tax, which, unlike the sparkling wine tax, is a state tax.
The tax was passed in 1902 by Germany's then-parliament, the Reichstag, to meet a shortfall in defense spending and has remained in place ever since, despite various amendments.
Germany's socialist Left Party has called the sparkling wine tax, which did not apply in the former East Germany, "a symbol of militarism" and has urged its abolition.
The neoliberal Free Democrats and the far-right Alternative for Germany also want the duty abolished, citing excessive bureaucracy and relatively low revenue.
While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.