Sales of rosé Champagne have fallen in the last 12 months – despite the annual Valentine’s Day and Christmas peaks.
Overall rosé sales in the off-trade were down by 8% in both volume and value in 2008.
Rosé Champagne accounts for over 12% of total UK sales – about 3m bottles a year.
The fall is despite the latest figures on the UK Champagne market showing pink Champagne sales jumping around February 14 and just before Christmas.
Weekly sales in the off-trade are usually just above or below 2,000 cases. In early February and December they leap to close on 10,000 cases a week.
The UK market has been the largest for rosé Champagne styles, growing for several years at a rate of over 20%.
Written by Giles Fallowfield
