Champagne shipments fell in 2024 as inflation weighed on demand

Champagne producers ended 2024 with a clear drop in sales. According to the Comité Champagne, the industry body representing growers and houses, shipments fell by roughly 9% compared with 2023, to about 271 million bottles. It was one of the weakest years for volumes in a long time.

Several factors combined. Inflation squeezed household budgets in Europe and elsewhere, and many consumers cut back on discretionary purchases such as premium wine. Demand also softened in major export markets after the post-pandemic rebound of 2021 and 2022, when sales had reached record levels. Higher prices for champagne, which had risen sharply in the preceding years, made the gap with cheaper alternatives more visible.

Sparkling wines at lower prices, notably Italian prosecco, benefited from this shift, as shoppers looked for celebratory drinks that cost less. The slump raised concern in the Champagne region about stock levels, harvest yields and the longer-term positioning of the appellation, and it set the stage for later signs that prosecco was challenging champagne even on its home market.