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The $522 Million Christmas Wine Bill

Naked Wines Australia

Key Facts:

• Australians could save 30% on wine purchases (approximately $522 million nationwide) by buying directly from winemakers through Naked Wines during the festive season
• The potential savings could fund 13 million Christmas hams, 5.2 million Christmas trees, or 1.7 million return flights for family reunions
• The wine sector contributes $51.3 billion to Australia's GDP and supports 203,000 jobs across 2,000 wineries and 6,000 growers
• Buying direct from winemakers eliminates retail mark-ups while supporting independent producers and regional economies
• Each dollar spent in the wine sector generates $2.16 in wider economic value, benefiting local communities and small-town economies

How Australians could slash their festive spend by 30% - and still back local winemakers

Australia - With the cost-of-living crisis biting, Naked Wines is urging Australians to make this Christmas fairer - for their wallets and for the people who make their wine.

Australians are expected to buy around 160 million bottles of wine between October and December. But Naked Wines data shows that if every bottle were purchased through its direct-from-winemaker model, households would spend about 30% less - saving roughly $522 million nationwide and supporting the people behind the produce. 

"Families shouldn't have to choose between a good Christmas and a balanced budget. By buying smarter, they can have both - and help Aussie winemakers at the same time." - Paul Connell, Managing Director, Naked Wines Australia

That's a collective saving large enough to:

• Buy 13 million Christmas hams

• Put 5.2 million trees in Aussie homes

• Pay 1.7 million return flights home for family reunions

• Hand out 104 million Santa Hats - four for every person in Australia

And those savings wouldn't just make Christmas brighter for households — they'd also flow straight to independent Aussie winemakers who partner with Naked.

"Christmas is about giving - and by switching wine purchases, Australians can give themselves big savings, and give back to local winemakers who need support more than ever" - Paul Connell, Managing Director, Naked Wines Australia

Why it matters

For households: Wine is one of the biggest discretionary costs on Christmas tables. Buying direct cuts out retail mark-ups while offering boutique quality and provenance transparency.

For makers: Independent analysis by Wine Australia shows the sector's multiplier is $2.16 in wider economic value for every $1 in output, supporting regional jobs and small-town economies (AgEconPlus & Gillespie Economics, 2025).

For fairness: Peak bodies and government reviews have highlighted the pressure major retailers exert on small producers and the need for fair-trading protections.

"Right now, retail giants are short-changing winemakers & Aussie drinkers. It's not about squeezing the little guys dry. Aussie wine lovers deserve better - and they know it." -  Paul Connell, Naked Wines Australia

How every dollar helps

• 2,000 wineries and 6,000 growers across 65 wine regions form the backbone of regional Australia.
• The wine sector adds $51.3 billion to GDP and supports 203,000 jobs nationwide.
• Choosing independents keeps profits in towns - not corporate head offices - and protects 3,000 hectares of productive land.
  

"It's incredibly liberating to be able to focus on doing your best work and know you're being supported. Ultimately, that means we can deliver our premium products at a lower price than through traditional channels" - Two Pairs multi award-winning winemakers,Nina Stocker and Kate Day

A simple switch with big returns

• Buy direct this Christmas. Skip the middleman; every bottle funds real winemakers.

• Keep it local. Each purchase fuels jobs in wine regions from Margaret River to Riverina, NSW.

• Enjoy better value. Great wines for less - without retail mark-ups or gimmicks.
   

Put simply: by switching wine purchases to Naked, & independent Winemakers, Australians could save enough to "do Christmas" for the whole nation several times over.

Get more for less this Christmas.

Join the Naked Wines community today and enjoy $100 off your first case of hand-crafted Australian wine: https://www.nakedwines.com.au/axq224 

 

About us:

Naked was founded  because the two people that should matter most in wine (the drinker and the maker) were getting a raw deal and we wanted to change that. 

For years, the big supermarkets and their bottle shops have been giving winemakers and wine drinkers a raw deal. Their buying clout forces local winemakers, who want to reach Australian drinkers, to churn out wine which the big players then stick a fancy label on and mark-up significantly, meaning that by the time consumers buy it, the majority of what’s in the bottle is retailer margin and marketing. Winemakers are driven to the wall and consumers are left misled, confused and short changed. In fact, the only winners are the big bottle shops and supermarkets.

Our mission is to help drinkers enjoy great wine, at the fairest prices (including for the makers) with nothing to hide - Wine tastes better Naked.. Founded in 2012, our innovative business model means that  now  over 90,000 Australian customers (we call them Angels) help us back and fund the production costs for over 50 Aussie & NZ winemakers upfront, allowing them to focus on creating exceptional wine without the burdens or risks they typically face, whilst passing the savings back to our customers in the form of insider prices (30% less than the market!) 

 

This virtuous circle is a win-win for both wine loves and makers -  customers end up drinking great-quality wine at better-value prices – whilst also gaining the satisfaction of supporting local winemakers and their communities and simply means…

 

• Better quality wine 

• Real choice 

• Fair prices and payments for all involved

• With none of the guesswork and smoke & mirrors 

For more information visit www.nakedwines.com.au

Contact details:

[email protected] - Paul Connell, Managing Director, Naked Wines