Champagne Will Not Regain Lost Ground Until 2018 Says Research

LONDON, August 28, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

The Champagne market will only recover to around the level of its 2011 record high in 2018, on the back of a recovery in its main European markets such as the UK, Germany and Belgium, and growth outside Europe, a new just-drinks report has forecast.

Total Champagne shipments reached a record high of 323m bottles in 2011 but have declined for the past two years, registering a drop of 1.2% in 2013 to reach 305m bottles. However, the just-drinks report forecasts a slow, steady recovery over the next four years, with shipments expected to reach 322m bottles by 2018.

"Despite the declines of 2012 and 2013, the immediate future looks increasingly bright for Champagne," the report states.

However, the exception to this, it adds, was the domestic market, which had suffered sharp declines. Overall growth would be restricted by the slow rate of recovery in France, which still accounts for half of total Champagne sales. The report forecasts that sales in France will fall again by 2.5m bottles to 160m bottles in 2015 before beginning to regain ground.

Even though Champagne's traditional strongholds account for four out of every five bottles of Champagne consumed, recent years have seen significant growth in other markets, officially referred to as "pays tiers". Last year, these markets, which include the US, Australia, Hong Kong and Mexico, accounted for 20% of global shipments, versus 14% a decade ago.

While the report said that the prospect of growth in non-traditional markets was "whetting the appetite of the leading Champagne houses", it also forecasts a shift back to a more familiar balance between old and new markets, due to economic recovery in its traditional strongholds.

For full details of just-drinks' 'Global market review of Champagne - forecasts to 2018', click here.

About just-drinks.com 

Established in 1999, just-drinks is the online resource for the global beverage industry, publishing around 20 news articles, analysis features and insights every working day. Under the direction of managing editor Olly Wehring, its experienced team of journalists, consultants and analysts provide a unique and comprehensive blend of reports and interpretation of the beverage industry, including key events, trends, interviews and research that are delivered to over 92,000 business executives per month.

Through its drinks industry analysis, research, news and CONSULT bespoke market research service, just-drinks offers insight into wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, and bottled water industry developments and key supply-chain trends.

For details of how just-drinks is helping decision makers make decisions, visit www.just-drinks.com

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