by Sophie Kevany
Marked problems with both prices and supply of wine bottles have been found in a range of European countries—including price increases of more than 10% and delayed deliveries, leaving wine makers having to refuse orders or adapt deliveries. by Sophie Kevany
Marked problems with both prices and supply of wine bottles have been found in a range of European countries—including price increases of more than 10% and delayed deliveries, leaving wine makers having to refuse orders or adapt deliveries.
The results from the survey, carried out by the European Confederation of Independent Winegrowers (CEVI), which has about 8,000 members in Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Slovenia and Hungary, were published last week. They showed an average 10.6% increase in prices for glass bottles, as well as an average wait of three to four weeks for delivery. In many cases however, growers paid for bottles then waited months for them to arrive, putting a strain on their cash flow.
Other results, said CEVI, were that winegrowers were forced to refuse orders, adapt deliveries and change bottles, all resulting in a loss of profit or business. "It is not normal for wine producers to have negotiate their deliveries like this, and we wanted to know the extent of the problems, and why,” said Maud Plener, of CEVI.
The study showed that 90.1% of those members had experienced an increase in prices, and 63.6% delays in delivery. Another 55% said they had a total breakdown in supply and were unable to source the bottles they needed.
The CEVI has sent the survey to the Competition Office of the European Commission. This follows complaints about supply problems to the same office at the end of last year by the Federation of Wine and Spirits Importers and Distributors (EFWSID).
The two major glass bottle suppliers are the American company OI and the French one, Saint-Gobain. A spokesperson for Saint-Gobain said the price rises were due to higher production costs, notably those of energy and raw materials. OI refused to comment on the study.
