Champagne sales in France's large and medium-sized supermarkets have dropped by 13.5% since the beginning of the year, equating to a loss of 1.77m bottles. In value terms, the decline stands at 8.2%. This is according to a study by the Economic Observatory Department of the Comité Champagne, using data from a retail panel by market research agency IRI, as reported by the newspaper L’Union.
This confirms a long-standing trend: in 2018, Champagne accounted for 25% of sparkling wine sales, whereas its share has now fallen to just 14.8%.
Prosecco as the Rising Star
In contrast, French (AOP and IGP) and foreign sparkling wines recorded slight growth during the same period, with volume increases of 1% and 0.9%, and value gains of 3.2% and 4%, respectively. Market shares for French sparkling wines rose from 23.8% to 30%, while foreign sparkling wines grew from 10% to 19.2%.
France’s clear favorite among imported sparkling wines is Prosecco, which holds a commanding 65.6% share—more than two out of every three bottles sold—followed by Spanish Cava at 24.6%, accounting for just over a quarter of the segment.
Expensive Today, Pricier Tomorrow
A closer look at overall Champagne sales reveals a disproportionate decline in its domestic market. Combined domestic and export figures show a drop of "only" 10.4% from November 2023 to October 2024, according to the magazine La Champagne Viticole.
The particularly poor performance in France is likely due to significant price increases there. From October 2023 to the end of September 2024, Champagne prices in France rose by 6.6%—a higher percentage increase than in other major sales regions. SP
