Champagne shipments dip thanks to the French

The volume of Champagne shipped in 2012 was 14 million lower than 2011 thanks to a slump in Christmas trade in November and December and driven largely by a decline in Champagne sales in France itself. The
Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) reported total shipments of 308.8 million, down by 4.4%, and a decline of 5.6% (10 million bottles) in the French market which accounts for 55.5% of global shipments. Volume sales in the European Union were also down by 7.1%.

Its not all doom and gloom though. By value (ex-cellar sales) were stable at €4.37bn, described as ‘very satisfactory’ and in markets outside the EU shipments were up by 1.9 million bottles or 3.2%. There was growth in key markets such as Japan and Australia, and soaring demand in emerging markets, including China, Russia, Mexico and Nigeria.

The CIVC said the volume decline was expected because of ‘the hard economic environment’ and highlighted an increase in average per bottle prices which reinforced the strategy of creation of value and the development of the Champagne prestige.