Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Latest Stories

Party is over for Champagne as sales drop after two record years

Party is over for Champagne as sales drop after two record years
iStock image
Getty Images/iStockphoto

Champagne sales and exports are expected to fall this year, pressured by inflation and a return to a more normal rhythm after record sales in the past two years due to the lifting of pandemic-related curbs, producers said on Wednesday.

Sales are expected to reach around 314 million bottles in 2023, French industry group Comite Champagne (Champagne Committee) said in a statement. That compared with 326 million sold in 2022.


In the first half of the year shipments represented 125.8 million bottles, down 4.7 per cent from the same period of 2022, it said. Exports stood at 77.7 million bottles, down 3.7 per cent, while France recorded a drop of 6.3 per cent with 48.1 million bottles.

"The fall in shipments, for France, is attributed to inflation," a Comite Champagne spokesperson told Reuters.

"For export, it is difficult to say because the comparisons are for the year 2022, which was a year when exports were very high in the first half. We rather think that after the post-COVID 'party', the situation becomes more normal," she added.

Champagne producers expect sales to remain around the same level in the next three years, at an average 315 million bottles, she said.

The 2023 harvest in Champagne was on a good track with little frost and hail damage, contained mildew and well-formed bunches but soil water recharge could be of concern.

Harvesting was expected to begin in the first 10 days of September.

The Comite Champagne set a maximum yield of grapes that can be harvested on the total 33,700 hectares (83,275 acres) devoted to Champagne wine at 11,400 kg per hectare, down from 12,000 kg/ha in 2022.

The output cap is meant to limit the volume of Champagne put on the market.

More for you

Volumatic welcomes new FCA rules safeguarding access to cash

Volumatic welcomes new FCA rules safeguarding access to cash

As industry leaders is cash handling, Volumatic has long supported the use of cash and the importance of maintaining access to cash for both consumers and businesses. The company recognises the importance of the new set of rules created by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) two months ago, to safeguard access to cash for businesses and consumers across the UK.

Since introduction, the new rules are intended to ensure that individuals and businesses who rely on cash can continue to access it and the outcome has already sparked the creation of 15 new banking hubs across the UK, including one in Scotland, with many more to follow.

Keep ReadingShow less
Jisp unveils new NPD service

Jisp unveils new NPD service

Retail technology company Jisp has launched an NPD service as part of its new Direct to Retailer business unit.

The new NPD service will allow brands to launch or trial new products in a guaranteed number of convenience store locations, with on the ground review of execution by Jisp’s retail growth manager team, and performance data and insights deliverable through its scanning technology and back-office systems.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tesco launches price cuts in Express convenience stores
File image of Tesco Express

Tesco launches price cuts in Express convenience stores

Tesco is slashing the price of more than 222 own-brand and branded products in its Express convenience stores.

Essentials including milk, bread, pasta and coffee are included in the lines which have been reduced in price by an average of more than 10 per cent at Tesco Express stores. The retail giant has made more than 2,800 price cuts across stores in recent months. With 2,048 of convenience stores at the end of the 2023-24 financial year, Tesco aims to benefit hundreds of thousands of customers from the cheaper deals.

Keep ReadingShow less
vape and cigarette
Photo: iStock

One in five ex-smokers in England now vape, study finds


Summary
1. One in five people who have successfully quit smoking in England currently vape, with an estimated 2.2 million individuals using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool.
2. The increase in vaping among ex-smokers is largely driven by the use of e-cigarettes in quit attempts, with a rise in vaping uptake among people who had previously quit smoking for many years before taking up vaping.
3. While vaping may be a less harmful option compared to smoking, there are concerns about the potential long-term implications of vaping on relapse risk and nicotine addiction. Further research is needed to assess the impact of vaping on smoking cessation outcomes.


Keep ReadingShow less
Bira engages with Treasury on Budget fallout, business rate reform
(Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Bira engages with Treasury on Budget fallout, business rate reform

Independent retailers association Bira has held a meeting with members of the Treasury team to discuss concerns following its robust response to the Government’s recent Budget announcement.

The Budget, labelled by Bira as "devastating" for independent retailers, was met with widespread indignation from Bira members.

Keep ReadingShow less