Data compiled by Mintel (a market research firm), has revealed that the consumption of wine in Britain dropped two percent in the year of 2008.

According to Mintel, rise in alcohol duty up to £1.61 on a standard bottle, was well as public concern over spree drinking brought a loll in wine sales.

This is only the 2nd time, when an annual fall in the wine consumption has been witnessed, since 1987, when the data series was started.

The first annual fall was witnessed in 1995. Research also shows that the increasing number of teetotal immigrations in UK and campaigns to increase awareness of the dangers of binge drinking, also played a vital role in bringing down the wine consumption in the country.

Mintel said the economic depression had slashed wine sales by 3.5 percent in the first nine months of last year and predicted that wine sales would continue to decline this year and in 2010, and will grow very indolently thereafter.