Decreased Wine Consumption by a Population 18 to 29 Years Old in France Determined by Random Sampling

Written by Caitlin Krzystowczk The characteristics of wine consumption in France were studied from an evolutionary viewpoint based upon patterns of alcohol consumption across various age groups. France has an extremely old history in producing some of the finest quality wines in the world and the popularity of this beverage was studied to observe the direction that the history of French wine will continue in (Simon, 2001). Le Musée du Vin in Paris, France was visited to gain perspective on the history of the wine making process. An interview was conducted at Le Musée with a member of Le Conseil des Echansons, Maire-Lise Carabeuf. Carabeuf stated that wine consumption was declining in France due to a change in alcohol preference from wine to beer and liquor in younger generations (Carabeuf, 2007). Based on the interview it was hypothesized that the consumption of wine in France is decreasing due to the population between the ages of 18 and 29 which is beginning to consume more beer and liquor than wine. People were randomly chosen and given surveys pertaining to their drinking habits and the results were observed and quantified. The people surveyed were grouped according to the predetermined age groups of 18-29, 30-44, and 45 and older. It was calculated that in the 18 to 29 age group 43.20 % of the drinks they consumed in a week were beer, 18.52% were liquor, and 38.70 % were wine. In the 30 to 44 age group, 45.20 % of their drinks consumed in a week were beer, 7.70 % were liquor, and 47.10 % were wine. In the 45 and older age group it was found that 6.25 % of the drinks consumed in a week were beer, 37.5 % were liquor, and 56.25 % were wine. The calculations showed that the 18 to 29 age group consumed beer and liquor more so than the older generations that consumed more wine. This is seen in the strong correlation between an increase in the amount of wine consumed and an increase in the age of the participants. These results confirmed the hypothesis that wine consumption is decreasing in France