Champagne sales fizzle after hitting Covid-era record highs

Champagne sales have lost some of the pop in 2023 following a past few record-breaking years of sales spurred by the end of Covid-19 lockdowns.

Champagne sales have lost some of their pop in 2023 following a few record-breaking years of sales spurred by the end of Covid-19 lockdowns. Comité Champagne, a trade association representing more than 16,000 winegrowers and 320 Champagne houses, said in a new report that total shipments last year of bubbly from France fell to 299 million bottles, a decline of 8.2% compared to 2022. That marks nearly a return to pre-Covid levels in 2019, when 297.3 million bottles were shipped. During its peak in 2022, sales soared by 33%, when 325 million bottles were shipped. Although total shipments fell, the financial fortunes for many Champagne houses were less affected because they sold more expensive labels, thus enabling them to maintain their sales above €6 billion ($6.6 billion) for another year, Comité said in a release. Sales also slumped by a similar figure within France, which accounts for Champagne’s largest consumer base. Within France, shipments last year dropped by 8.2% to 127 million bottles because the country “has suffered more from inflation, compared to export markets, which has weighed on household budgets throughout the year,” the association said.