The once high-end craze has receded, and the 100 yuan price of bottled wine has become a flame in the cold winter, igniting a new battle in the industry.
Authentic and beautiful products, with attractive prices. "In October 2025, Mr. Liu, a liquor merchant from Dongguan, Guangdong, promoted his ration liquor on his social media. Behind him, the whole Baijiu industry is undergoing a profound change.
The high-end Baijiu market, which was once supported by government and business consumption, continued to shrink under the impact of the "Prohibition Order". According to the Interim Research Report on the 2025 Chinese Baijiu Market issued by the China Liquor Industry Association, the mainstream consumer price band of Baijiu has sunk from 300-500 yuan to 100-300 yuan, and the price band of 800-1500 yuan is the most serious.
At the same time, the bottled wine industry is becoming a highlight with explosive growth. The market size of bottled wine has exceeded 150 billion yuan in 2024 and is expected to surpass 200 billion yuan by 2025.
01 Market Change: Please have a daily drink at the political and business banquet
The Baijiu industry is undergoing a value restructuring. In May 2025, the new version of the Regulations of the Party and Government Organs on Practicing Thrift and Combating Waste officially came into force. The ban of "no alcohol for official reception" was like a thunderbolt, breaking the calm appearance of the Baijiu industry.
Under the influence of multiple factors, government receptions have almost disappeared, and political and business banquets have also significantly shrunk due to the prohibition of alcohol and changes in the economic environment.
The core social scene that once supported the sales of medium and high-end Baijiu suffered a heavy blow, but consumer demand did not disappear, but turned to a more private and independent scene.
Friends gathering for drinks has shifted from "drinking volume" to "tasting flavor", with a greater emphasis on emotional resonance and rational drinking; The home self drinking market is booming, with a significant increase in demand for small capacity, high-quality "food based drinks", becoming an important force driving the mass market.
A Baijiu dealer revealed that the company's sales target was mainly group buying customers. Before the "Double Festival", tens of thousands of cases could be sold, and the group buying customer orders were more than 500000 yuan.
However, in recent years, the group buying volume of group buying customers has been declining or even disappearing year by year, and at the same time, group buying of high-end liquor has been restricted or even stopped.
02 Grain Explosion: Market Expansion of Bottled Wine
Against the backdrop of overall industry pressure, grain based liquor has become a bright spot. In September 2025, Xinjiang Yilite Industrial Co., Ltd. held a grand "Yili Grain Warehouse Liquor National Listing Conference". This new product, positioned as a popular food grade liquor, provides a new sample for the industry to break through against the trend with its differentiated advantages such as stable price, hard core quality, and innovative channels.
Not only regional liquor companies, but also top tier famous liquors are stepping down and seizing the market for staple liquor. Yanghe held a strategic press conference for Yanghe Daqu High Line Light Bottle Wine, announcing a strategic cooperation with JD.com to comprehensively promote the sales of 59 yuan light bottle wine.
03 Price Restructuring: The 100 yuan price range becomes the main battlefield
The market performance during the 'Double Festival' period further confirms this trend. Ren Boji, who is an agent of Baijiu in Chengdu, told reporters that this year he will focus on ration liquor. The price of non brand liquor is 100-300 yuan, of which about 100 yuan is mainly for Luzhou flavor, and 200-300 yuan is mainly for soy sauce liquor and vintage wine.
The return of rationality to soy sauce has become a prominent feature. Some soy sauce and liquor brands that are often priced at thousands of yuan are no longer overpriced.
Whether online or offline, mainstream soy sauce brands such as Honghualang, Guotai Guobiao, Xijiu Cellar 1988, Zhenjiu 15, Abstract, etc., have prices mostly concentrated around 300 yuan, making them very competitive.
These soy sauce liquors have become a substitute for many high-end Baijiu before.
Among them, high-end liquor sales account for one-third, while low-end liquor accounts for about two-thirds.
04 Channel Revolution: County Market Becomes a New Battlefield
The deep transformation of channels is also underway. In order to seize the "capillaries" of Baijiu channels, liquor enterprises are making every effort, and the battle in the county town of Baijiu has entered a white hot stage.
First tier famous liquors are sinking one after another, competing with regional liquor companies for market share. The Maotai series of liquor has currently covered multiple counties and districts, and the Golden Prince single product is selling well in Shouguang County, Shandong Province and other places; Langjiu has developed Kuche, Xinjiang into the "first model county in Northwest China";
Jiannanchun deeply cultivates the billion yuan market in Gushi County, Henan Province; Jinyuan aims for 130 million yuan in Linyi.
In response to changes in consumer scenarios, liquor companies actively innovate in channels and marketing. Maotai 1935, Wuliangye, and other brands accurately reach consumers through methods such as "cloud commerce platforms" and "digital red envelopes".
Some brands expand their sales through platforms such as Tiktok and Jingdong Houda. For example, Wuliangye promotes in the live broadcast room, and some products are out of stock.
The development of instant retail has further activated the demand for ready to drink beverages. The instant retail led by Meituan, Taobao flash purchase and Jingdong is rapidly penetrating the Baijiu market and becoming the core carrier of the value of the "last mile" with the core competitiveness of "one hour".
05 Future Trends: Value Reshaping in the Age of Rational Consumption
In the face of market changes, Xiao Zhuqing, a Baijiu expert, suggested that liquor enterprises should actively innovate in channels and marketing. It mainly includes three aspects: customized banquet services, such as Yanghe and Gujinggong launching "banquet exclusive packages", providing integrated solutions for drinks and services;
Digital marketing, such as Maotai 1935 and Wuliangye, use methods such as "cloud commerce platforms" and "digital red envelopes" to accurately reach consumers and prevent counterfeit goods and price confusion; Live streaming and instant retail.
Cai Xuefei, an expert in the Baijiu industry, believes that from the Mid Autumn Festival to the Spring Festival, the industry will still focus on destocking, stabilizing prices and promoting sales. Market recovery still needs time to cooperate with the consumption environment.
At present, the Baijiu industry is in a period of deep adjustment, and "differentiation" is the main theme. Maotai stands out, with improved sales at the mid to low end, rational prices for soy sauce and liquor, and accelerated channel innovation.
In the future Baijiu industry, the integration of brand, quality and cost performance will be a major trend, which will also become a way for liquor makers to break the situation. The era of making fast money and high profits is gone forever.
The Baijiu industry has experienced a weak cycle for several years, and is expected to bottom out in the fourth quarter of 2025. Affected by various factors, the rebound momentum is insufficient, and the probability rate shows the characteristics of "L-shaped bottom".
By 2027, with the maturity of various supporting factors, the Baijiu industry will truly enter a "new era", an era of more rational consumption, more focused products, more efficient channels, and more concentrated competition.
Brands that can understand new user groups, adapt to new scenarios, master new marketing, and refine new products will eventually open up their own growth space in the changing situation.
Based on the Maotai flavor Baijiu market, Guiliang Liquor Group, adhering to the 60 year history, has worked hard for more than 20 years, and is committed to the integration of Maotai flavor Baijiu brewing and marketing. "Brewing a cup of good wine for the world" is the ultimate vision of the Group. While deeply cultivating Maotai flavor Baijiu, the Group also actively embraces the market. It is taking advantage of its own advantages of grain raw materials, scientific research team, data marketing, and other advantages, combined with market consumers' expectations for "health", to steadily participate in the health wine market.
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