Hardys suffers £47m loss as wine brands see value decline

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Accolade Wines Hardy's

Hardy’s has lost its title as the biggest wine brand in the UK

Vinarchy wine brand Hardys has suffered the biggest sales slump of the top 100 alcohol brands.

The Australian tipple has shed £47.4m, the largest absolute value decline of any of the top players in retail [NIQ 52 w/e 19 April 2025].

It has also lost 6.7 million litres – the greatest absolute volume loss of any wine in The Grocer’s latest Britain’s Biggest Alcohol Brands report.

Hardys’ performance came after its decision to “strategically scale back its entry-level Stamp proposition”, stressed Tom Smith, Vinarchy marketing & category director. The brand has also suffered distribution losses across the major mults since the start of 2024, in the face of significant gains by cheaper own-label wines.

However, Hardys’ “overall health remains robust – underpinned by long-standing consumer trust and recognition”, Smith insisted.

Hardys’ decline means it is no longer grocery’s biggest wine brand – a title it held for more than 10 years. Rival Aussie brand Yellow Tail has bagged the top slot, having grown value 8%.

Its success comes in contrast to the overall state of the wine category in grocery. Of the 31 still and sparkling wines in our top 100 brands, combined value sales are down 0.6%.

Only 12 players have made value or volume gains. Blossom Hill, Nice Drop and I Heart are among those to have recorded double-digit value declines.

In the past year, still wine overall had “experienced a 1.7% decline in volumes, while the average price per bottle rose 2.4% to £6.74”, noted Fergus MacKenzie, NIQ insights manager for beer, wine and spirits.

“While household penetration saw a slight decline, the number of consumption occasions fell at a faster rate,” he added. “This trend may reflect the combined impact of inflationary pressures and a broader shift toward moderation and health-conscious consumption.

More from Britain’s Biggest Alcohol Brands:

Overall, the top 100 has sold 30.4 million fewer litres in the past 12 months, meaning alcohol brands in other sectors are also struggling.

In beer, powerhouse names Carling, Foster’s, San Miguel and Stella Artois are our ranking’s four biggest losers in absolute volume terms. They’ve shed a combined 64.3 million litres.

However, fast-growing challenger Cruzcampo is the top 100’s star turn. It has made most money (£73.9m) and grown volumes fastest (233%).