80% of all wine sold in the U.K. is through the four major supermarkets. Over the years the purchasing power of these big businesses has forced many producers into production methods that rely heavily on chemical processing and mechanized industry so they can produce more wine for less money.

This means that the average retail price of a bottle of wine in the U.K. is now £3.54. Although this may be good for our pockets, it means that we as consumers are left with less choice as smaller producers are forced out of business. Even worse, as ethical consumers it means we’re supporting a way of production that is largely detrimental not only to wine quality but to the vitality and health of the soil and therefore the planet!



Throughout Europe there are many small, independent wine producers making fantastically flavoursome wines. With the wines we stock at Festival Wines we have been lucky enough to meet most of our growers, to see the love and dedication they put into making their wines and we value their passion for ethical wine production.

In our own small way we feel that we are supporting the principles of fair trade for all. We try the wine and if we want it then we let the producer set the price. Our producers get the freedom they need to produce great wines, our customers get to experience a fantastically diverse range of wines and we get the satisfaction of knowing that we helped to put it all together!
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