France recorded a decline in champagne sales in 2023

Champagne sales in France in 2023 accounted for 299 million bottles, 8.2% less than the exceptional previous year, which represents a “return to normality” in 2019, the producers announced this Monday in a statement. These figures are far from reaching the rebound of 2022, when 325 million bottles were distributed, although the decline “was to be expected,” said the president of the Champagne Companies Association, David Chatillon. The committee attributes this general decline in sales to “excess stock” by distributors in 2022 due to “fear of shortages.” The covid crisis caused sales to plummet by 18% in 2020, although last year they recovered by 33% and were somewhat above the 2019 volume. The inflation recorded in 2023, the committee noted, had a greater impact on the domestic market than on exports, which despite having fallen 8.2%, represented 57% of total sales, 172 million bottles, above the ...