Prosecco takes the fizz out of Champagne sales

Prosecco is stealing Champagne's thunder in Europe, with sales up 24% compared to just 0.9% for Champagne.

According to the latest figures from IRI, Prosecco sales across Europe hit €789m in 2016, compared to Champagne sales worth €1.4billion. But while Champagne outstrips its lower-cost rival by almost double in value overall, the figures show that Prosecco continues to be the sparkling wine of choice among consumers, with 77m litres bought - 25% more than Champagne and with growth of 24% in value and 23% in volume. 

Ironically, of all of the countries analysed – including the UK, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands and Germany in Europe, the United States and Australia/New Zealand – France, home of champagne production, is the only one that recorded a volume decline, at -1.2%. However, France remains the number one market, worth €921m, accounting for around 66% of all Champagne sales measured in Europe.

The UK, France and Germany are the standout sparkling wine markets, with sales worth more than one billion Euros in each country. 

Tim Eales, Strategic Insight Director at IRI, comments: “Prosecco continues to grow and grow in almost every market apart from the Netherlands. Even Cava, which seemed to fall out of favour with the rise in popularity of Prosecco a few years ago, has seen value and volume increases in most countries this year.” 

IRI’s data shows that the sparkling wine market as a whole, which includes Champagne, Prosecco, Cava and other sparkling wines, is now worth almost €4.6bn in sales value across Europe, with a further €1.7bn across the US/Australia/New Zealand.

Based on consumption per head, Champagne leads in France, while Prosecco is the winner the UK is way ahead on Prosecco. However, Australians each drink roughly the same amount of Champagne as the British do, and twice as much as they drink in New Zealand.

Among the highlights of the report:

>> The Champagne market in Europe is worth €1.4bn, growing by 0.9% in value, but down 0.3% in litres.

>> All countries show Champagne volume growth, except for the largest market, France.

>> Champagne litre sales in France are 4.5 times higher than next biggest country, the UK, but at prices less than two-thirds of the UK price.

>> The lowest average price for Champagne is in Germany, with the US, NZ and Australia more than twice the German price.

>> Prosecco is worth €789m in Europe, growing by 24% in value and 23% in volume.

>> UK Prosecco sales are worth €600m, growing by 25%. Only the UK and the US spend more on Prosecco than Champagne.

>> Prosecco is cheapest in Spain, almost a quarter of the UK price. Spain drinks 200 times more Cava than Prosecco.

>> Cava is growing volume quickly in most countries, especially in France and the UK, but declining in its home country of Spain.

>> The UK drinks 2.5 times more Prosecco than Italy and pays almost twice the price per litre.