Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Champagne makers celebrate record sales ahead of Christmas

Champagne sales are expected to reach a new record this year, despite inflation that could have made consumers shun the expensive bubbly, producers said ahead of the start of year-end celebrations around the world.

Champagne sales reached an all-time high last year at €5.7 billion (£5bn), as the relaxation of pandemic-related curbs fuelled a surge in exports.


"We will very likely beat this record again and 2022 will be the new champagne record in terms of turnover," David Chatillon, chairman of the Union of Champagne Houses (UMC), told Reuters in Reims, in eastern France, home to some of the most famous Champagne makers.

Sales would also rise by volume this year compared with the 320 million bottles sold in 2021, but remain below the 2007 record of 339 million bottles, he said.

"We have consumers who are perhaps less impacted by inflation than others and we have noticed since the end of the pandemic crisis that people want to have fun, they want good products and opening a bottle of champagne is in itself a celebration," Chatillon said.

Export sales were also expected to reach record highs.

"Our first three markets, the United States, Britain and Japan, are doing very well and so are the other European destinations," Chatillon said.

Champagne prices have risen this year as winemakers passed on a rise in costs, notably for bottles and transport. The energy crunch had less impact than on more energy-intensive sectors as harvesting was done manually, he said.

This year's wine harvest in Champagne, which Chatillon called "miraculous", was 45 per cent above the five-year average due to good weather conditions and doubled from 2021, when frost and mildew fungus ravaged vineyards, official data showed.

The war in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia had little impact on Champagne sales as bottles were re-dispatched to meet strong demand from other markets, Chatillon said.

More for you

Police officers in Trafalgar Square, London

Police officers in Trafalgar Square, London

Photo: iStock

New Respect Orders to target repeat perpetrators of anti-social behaviour

The government on Friday announced that they will introduce new Respect Orders as part of the Crime and Policing Bill.

The measure, a modernised version of the anti-social behaviour orders that were introduced by the last Labour Government, is aimed at the most serious offenders who plague town centres and neighbourhoods with anti-social behaviour.

Keep ReadingShow less
Exclusive: 'Faulty' pre-Horizon Post Office system led to hundreds of prosecutions

Exclusive: 'Faulty' pre-Horizon Post Office system led to hundreds of prosecutions

Ecco+, another pre-Horizon IT system that was introduced to post masters between 1992 and 1999, was also likely to be faulty due to which hundreds of sub post masters were prosecuted by the Post Office, a leading sub postmaster representative has said.

Speaking to Asian Trader today (22), Calum Greenhow - Chief Executive Officer at National Federation of Sub Postmasters (NFSP) stated that Ecco+ system that was introduced between 1992 and 1999 also created problems for sub post masters.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bestway Foundation UK donates £100,000 to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Bestway Foundation UK donates £100,000 to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award

Lord Zameer Choudrey CBE SI Pk, Chief Executive of Bestway Group, and Dawood Pervez, Managing Director of Bestway Wholesale, presented a cheque for £100,000 to The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) at Bestway Group’s Head Office in Park Royal, London last week.

This significant contribution reflects Bestway's ongoing commitment to supporting impactful charitable initiatives that make a difference to the lives of young people across the UK. The presentation was attended by Ruth Marvel OBE, Chief Executive Officer, Laura Puddefoot-Knaggs, Head of Philanthropy and Clare Harris, Senior Relationships Manager from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, and Bestway Board of Directors, including Sir Anwar Pervez OBE H Pk, Chairman Bestway Group.

Keep ReadingShow less
GroceryAid: supporting grocery colleagues over the festive season

GroceryAid: supporting grocery colleagues over the festive season

As we head into the busiest time of the year for the grocery industry, GroceryAid is urging people to reach out to them if they find themselves struggling.

The charity helps grocery workers and their families through difficult times and offers a range of financial, emotional and practical support. This includes support for people facing stress, anxiety, low mood or loneliness, as well as debt advice and impartial financial support through GroceryAid’s online financial hub.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sugro UK partners with Britvic to launch industry-first sample box

Sugro UK partners with Britvic to launch industry-first sample box

Leading wholesale buying and marketing group Sugro UK has collaborated with Britvic Soft Drinks, a global organisation with 39 much-loved brands sold in over 100 countries, to launch a groundbreaking Fast Food Sample Box.

The sample box is specifically designed for ICS UK LTD customers, giving them a unique opportunity to sample and experience new Fast Food soft drinks offerings firsthand.

Keep ReadingShow less