Champagne in human trafficking scandal

Three people have been convicted in France over the mistreatment of 57 migrant grape pickers during the 2023 Champagne harvest, prompting renewed calls for better protection of seasonal workers.

A court in Châlons-en-Champagne sentenced a Kyrgyz woman to four years in prison (2 year suspended) for human trafficking, while two male recruiters received one-year part-suspended sentences. The wine co-operative that used their services was fined €75,000 and the exploitative service company was dissolved.

The case exposed dire conditions in Nesle-le-Repons where pickers had no electricity or running water, worked 12 hour days and ate “rotten sandwiches” as food. The Comité Champagne, a civil plaintiff in the case, reiterated its “zero tolerance” stance, vowing to join future prosecutions.

In response to the scandal, Champagne authorities launched a reform initiative in late 2023. Dubbed 'Together for the Champagne harvest', it aims to safeguard the 120,000 seasonal workers vital to the region’s sparkling wine production.