Wine sales up by 30 per cent in the past five years

UK wine sales have rocketed 30 per cent in the past five years, from£5.8 billion to an estimated£7.6 billion last year, according to Mintel. The market is also expected to grow by the same percentage over the next four years, to reach£10 billion. Volume sales reached more than 1 billion litres last year.

The rise is attributed to the increasing number of affluent mid-life singletons and female professionals of the Brigdet Jones generation. Mintel estimates that 69 per cent of women in the UK drink wine, compared with 62 per cent of men.

Mintel senior market analyst James McCoy said: 'Less gassy and fattening than beer, wine is the favourite tipple among women, both in and out of the home. The high-end price increases have also helped to sustain market growth.'

Mintel's findings are supported by rosy trading figures from Majestic Wine, which experienced a like-for-like sales increase of 10.4 per cent for the nine weeks to January 3.