France and EU to spend $215 million on addressing surplus wine and changing consumption habits
The French government plans to spend $216 million to purchase and destroy excess wine in an effort to support the struggling wine industry, which has been impacted by changing consumption habits. The excess wine will be converted into industrial alcohol for use in hand sanitizers, cleaning products, and perfume. Wine consumption has decreased across Europe, with France experiencing a 25% decrease between 2005 and 2021. Younger drinkers are contributing to the growth of the alcohol-free drink market.