French wine and spirits exports drop to 25-year low
Last year, French wine and spirits exports plunged to their lowest volume in at least 25 years, with demand injured by trade tensions with China and the US.
Sales were impacted by US tariffs and Chinese duties, with a strong euro also making alcohol more expensive, according to industry body Federation des Exportateurs de Vins & Spiritueux (FEVS).
Total French wine and spirits exports dipped by 3% in volume in 2025 to 168 million cases, FEVS revealed. Exports dipped by 8% in value to a five-year low of €14.3bn, with US and tariffs and Chinese duties hurting demand.
Traditionally, wine and spirits has been France’s second-largest export sector. But now, it’s dropped to third – outstripped by aerospace and cosmetics.
Challenges ahead
FEVS chair Gabriel Picard said the sector would likely benefit from new EU trade agreements with India and the Mercosur bloc. However, he warned the industry could continue to see difficulties in 2026 without improved market access.
In 2025, sales dropped almost a quarter (21%) to €3bn, with volumes plummeting below 30m cases, due to higher tariffs on shipments to the United States, and Trump’s threats of pushing them even higher.
“There is a real decline in the United States and the volume correction may not have been sufficient, and perhaps we will see another volume correction in 2026,” Picard told Reuters.
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Geopolitical tensions
France’s sales to China dropped 20% to €767m in 2025 as anti-dumping duties sharply curbed shipments of cognac, armagnac and other wine-based spirits, FEVS said.
And cognac – France’s flagship spirit – was also scared by tariff tensions, with sales dipping 15% in volume and 24% in value.
“Geopolitical tensions between France and China marked the end of cognac in China. Now stopping something doesn’t take long, but rebuilding takes a long time,” Picard said.
On the plus side, within Europe, wine and spirits exports held broadly stable at €4.1bn, with resilience in markets such as the UK, where volumes rose 3% despite fiscal pressure, FEVS said.
The sales to South Africa also climbed 22% to €182m, while Vietnam, the Philippines and Australia also showed strong momentum.
