Enjoyment without the hangover

And now it’s the turn of wine. Whilealcohol-free beer has been on trend in Germany for some time, wine without alcohol is now becoming increasingly popular, too. In June 2025, Ernst Büscher, spokesman of the German Wine Institute, told regional broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR): “I predict that every wine-growing estate will have an alcohol-free wine in its range in a few years’ time.”  

He believes that there will be sufficient demand, partly because more and more young people don’t drink. According to Germany’s Federal Institute of Public Health, only 38.8 percent of German men and 18.2 percent of German women aged 18 to 25 drink alcohol at least once a week - these are the lowest figures since records began in 1973.  

 Why are Germans drinking less and less alcohol? 

There are various reasons for the decline in alcohol consumption. The German-Dutch science writer Bas Kast cites for example the current fitness trend and growing nutritional and health awareness. His book “Warum ich keinen Alkohol mehr trinke” (Why I no longer drink alcohol) is a bestseller in Germany. However, the wider range of alcohol-free alternatives - for example when it comes to mixed drinks - is also contributing to the trend. Wine Institute spokesman Büscher, talking about how alcohol-free wine is produced, says: “A lot has been learnt in recent years, and the quality has improved significantly.” 

Are alcohol-free drinks successful in economic terms?

In Germany, the amount of alcohol-free wine purchased soared by 86 percent year-on-year in 2024, while sales grew by 68 percent. The market share of alcohol-free wines in Germany still remains small at 1.5 percent. However, it may see a similar development as with beer, the non-alcohol version of which was long a niche product. Nowadays, experts believe that one in ten beers brewed in Germany will soon be alcohol-free.