It's been a rollercoaster ride for global Champagne sales since the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008, but official figures suggest consumer demand has been more stable in the last three years.
Worldwide Champagne sales hit a peak in 2007, at almost 340m bottles, just prior to the financial crisis that engulfed many of the Champenois’ key markets.
After that point, global demand dropped in 2008 and fell back markedly in 2009 as national economies recoiled following the implosion of Lehman Brothers in the US.
In 2007, there were frequent media reports about pending Champagne shortages, due to rising consumer demand. The Comite Champagne, named CIVC at the time, spoke confidently about a plan to expand the amount of land certified to produce grapes for France‘s premier sparkling wine.
But, last year it emerged that those plans had been put on ice, amid figures showing global demand for Champagne had levelled off. See the annual volume figures below for more details.
Written by Chris Mercer
