Sales of alcoholic drinks in France declined in total volume terms in 2023, following moderate growth in 2022 and strong growth in 2021. Factors contributing to this stagnation included the impact of elevated inflation, which made consumers more cautious in their spending, and a normalisation effect after the easing of COVID-19 restrictions in the latter half of 2021, leading to increased social events across 2022 and 2023. As a result of a return to social drinking occasions, there was also a cannibalisation of off-trade sales by on-trade sales, further impacting overall volume sales in 2023.