Champagne sales in UK stagnate

Champagne sales in UK retail have suffered a decline in volume but rise in value over the Christmas and New Year period compared to last year.

Nielsen MAT figures to the week ending 7 January show a 4% drop in the number of cases sold but a 1% increase in value, earned due to a 6% rise in the average price of a bottle of Champagne in the off-trade.

Speaking to db about Champagne volume sales in UK retail sector over Christmas, Andrew Hawes, managing director at Mentzendorff, importers for Bollinger and Ayala, commented, “The market is basically flat, so we are at the same place as last year, but via a different route.”

Referring to the last two months of 2010 – Champagne’s key sales period – Hawes said that heavy snow had dented sales during the comparable period last year, but deep and early discounting on supermarket exclusive labels had propped up the market.