French people drinking more beer than wine for first time as cost of living soars

French people are drinking more beer than wine for the first time (pictured: the international agriculture show in Paris on 24 February) - (AFP/Getty)

France is drinking more beer than wine for the first time as the growing cost of living changes drinking habits among young people, figures show.

According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), the French drank 22 million hectolitres of wine last year, just shy of the 22.1m hectolitres of beer reported by Brewers of France.