Geordies are shaking off their beer-drinking image and splashing out more on wine.
Consumers in Newcastle and the rest of the north east are increasingly likely to opt for a glass of red or white instead of the eponymous brown ale, new figures from ACNielsen show.
Its drinks survey found that wine sales in the region went up 13% - the highest increase in the country - compared with a 3% rise in London in the year to February 19. People in the north-east also increased their spend on beer by 7%.
ACNielsen consultant Graham Page said the north-east had always had a per capita alcohol consumption higher than the UK average. “There’s a higher proportion of working lads and lasses who like to go out and enjoy themselves. More of them
are taking foreign trips and bringing their experiences of wine back with them.”
Football teams Newcastle and Sunderland were also doing well, which had encouraged fans to splash out.
Page added: “The proportion of sales in wine and spirits has been below areas such as London, which is still the largest wine consumer region, so there’s also an element of catch-up.”
Wine volumes nationwide are still growing (+4%) at the expense of long drinks such as ale (-4%) and ready-to-drink products (-10%). In the long drinks category, lager has made the biggest gain (+3.5%).
The Food Standards Agency will take over responsibility for the quality, labelling and standard of wine sold in the UK when it incorporates the work of the Wine Standards Board.
The board was recently labelled “useless” in a report on quangos published by the Efficiency in Government Unit, which named it among the nine worst in the country.
The move follows a recommendation in the Hampton Review, which looked at how to reduce administrative burdens on business.
The board currently enforces EU wine regulations in the UK. Its covers all premises and traders in the production and marketing chain.
It also maintains the UK Vineyard Register, which records wine-growing areas, the annual harvest and production returns.
All or part of the 12-strong wine board team will be transferred to the FSA. The merger is scheduled to be in place by September 2006.
Helen Gregory
FSA, wine board merger
Consumers in Newcastle and the rest of the north east are increasingly likely to opt for a glass of red or white instead of the eponymous brown ale, new figures from ACNielsen show.
Its drinks survey found that wine sales in the region went up 13% - the highest increase in the country - compared with a 3% rise in London in the year to February 19. People in the north-east also increased their spend on beer by 7%.
ACNielsen consultant Graham Page said the north-east had always had a per capita alcohol consumption higher than the UK average. “There’s a higher proportion of working lads and lasses who like to go out and enjoy themselves. More of them
are taking foreign trips and bringing their experiences of wine back with them.”
Football teams Newcastle and Sunderland were also doing well, which had encouraged fans to splash out.
Page added: “The proportion of sales in wine and spirits has been below areas such as London, which is still the largest wine consumer region, so there’s also an element of catch-up.”
Wine volumes nationwide are still growing (+4%) at the expense of long drinks such as ale (-4%) and ready-to-drink products (-10%). In the long drinks category, lager has made the biggest gain (+3.5%).
The Food Standards Agency will take over responsibility for the quality, labelling and standard of wine sold in the UK when it incorporates the work of the Wine Standards Board.
The board was recently labelled “useless” in a report on quangos published by the Efficiency in Government Unit, which named it among the nine worst in the country.
The move follows a recommendation in the Hampton Review, which looked at how to reduce administrative burdens on business.
The board currently enforces EU wine regulations in the UK. Its covers all premises and traders in the production and marketing chain.
It also maintains the UK Vineyard Register, which records wine-growing areas, the annual harvest and production returns.
All or part of the 12-strong wine board team will be transferred to the FSA. The merger is scheduled to be in place by September 2006.
Helen Gregory
FSA, wine board merger
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