findings from the The Wine Merchant reader survey
In each issue of the London Wine Fair Times we will announce a finding from London Wine Fair media partner The Wine Merchant 2025 readers survey.
Issue 1
49.5%
The proportion of independent wine merchants who now offer wine for consumption on the premises as well as for retail sale.
The Wine Merchant’s annual survey of independents has been tracking this trend for more than a decade. Back in 2014, only around a quarter of indies operated the hybrid wine shop/wine bar model. Now it’s about half, with advocates reporting that drink-in sales are not just a useful revenue stream in their own right – they also have a positive impact on shop sales.
But the policy isn’t right for everyone, for a variety of reasons, such as licensing and space restrictions, longer opening hours and increased staffing. Indeed, more than four in 10 indies say they have no desire to introduce on-premise drinking.
Issue 2
£16.91
The average sale price for a bottle of still wine from an independent wine merchant in 2025. This marks a £1.13 increase on the 2024 survey figure.
The figure relates just to still wines and not the sparkling or fortified categories.
Prices had some catching up to do after a meagre 8p average increase the previous year, from £15.70 a bottle in 2023 to £15.78 a bottle in 2024. Duty and inflation will have eaten up most of that extra money.
Rising dry goods, labour and shipping costs also played a part.
Issue 3
74.9%
The percentage of independent wine merchants who list Italian wines among their biggest sellers. This comfortably places Italy at the top of the charts, followed by France with 57.7%. Respondents in The Wine Merchant’s survey were allowed up to three choices, all of which were given equal weighting.
Italy also tops the list of countries that indies find most interesting, with 52% of merchants giving it their vote. Portugal led the way here in 2024 but now settles for second place.
Georgia is the biggest mover in the league table of most interesting countries or regions, bursting into the top 10 with almost a quarter of respondents voting for it.
The next finding will be announced on 1st May.
Issue 4
18.2%
The average proportion wines that independents source directly from producers. In the 2024 survey the figure was around 14%.
Almost half of all indies (48%) are already importing a proportion of their ranges, and The Wine Merchant’s survey found that over a third of respondents plan to increase their direct imports in the coming year. Proponents of direct imports enjoy the increased margins and exclusivity that they can often achieve, but many indies argue the post-Brexit paperwork has made shipping direct a far less attractive option.
24% still intend to carry on buying 100% of their range from UK suppliers.
Issue 5
74.1%
The percentage of indie turnover coming from wine sales. It’s no surprise of course that indie wine merchants specialise in wine, but the 2025 figure does show a slight decrease compared with 2024, when the figure hit a high of 77%.
The second largest category is spirits, which has seen a rise from 8.3% in 2024 to 9.4% this year. But it’s still falling short of the 10%-plus figures that the survey recorded during the gin boom years.
Food is the other growth category, with 6.2% of sales on average, bringing it close to the sort of turnover that independents achieve with beer.
Are you an independent merchant interested in attending London Wine Fair? We have a bursary programme dedicated to indies. Please get in touch with enquiries@londonwinefair.com to register your interest.
