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Yearly Champagne shipments fall once again

The sparkling wine has seen a year-on-year decline in sales since the Covid-highs of 2021 when 332m bottles were sold. The figures see the total shipments drop below pre-Covid sales, compared to the 297.5m sold in 2019.

Sales of Champagne in the French domestic market are down by 7.2% with 118.2 million bottles, with CIVIC  accounting the gloomy economic and political context for the drop in sales. The uncertain political period culminated with the collapse of the Michel Barnier-led government in December of last year.

• Read more: France makes good on its large tasting ‘gamble’

Exports are down 10.8% with 153.2 million bottles, however they accounted for 56.4% of sales, a continuation of the trend of recent years of the Champagne export market outperforming the domestic.

Maxime Toubart, president of the Champagne Winegrowers and co-president of the Comité Champagne, is honest in his assessment of the wine’s performance: “Champagne is a true barometer of consumer mood. This is no time for celebration - with inflation and global conflicts taking place, as well as economic and political uncertainty in some of Champagne's largest markets, such as France and the US,” he said.

Despite the disappointing returns in the Champagne market, David Chatillon, president of the Champagne Houses and co-president of the Comité Champagne, remains confident in the ability for those in Champagne to bounce back:

“It's in less favourable times that we need to prepare for the future, maintain our plans in terms of sustainable development, and attract new markets and new consumers. Champagne is a solid, sustainable organisational model that has proved its value, even in the face of adversity, which reinforces its confidence in the future,” he said.

• France
• Champagne
• sales
• exports
• bottles
• shipments
• CIVIC