Shoppers are not prepared to sacrifice their favourite luxury tipple even in the toughest times and are increasingly opting for supermarket brands, according to new data from Sainsbury’s.
Total Champagne sales in Sainsbury’s are up by 40% – an additional 1.23m bottles – and it has just enjoyed its strongest ever year in the category, despite the down-turn.
According to market analyst Nielsen, the Champagne sector is in double digit growth and its best sellers chart reveals that two of the top six Champagne brands sold by supermarkets are exclusive to Sainsbury’s: Etienne Dumont and Charles Lafitte.
Daniel Bracegirdle, Sainsbury’s Champagne buyer, said: “Amazingly, the total Champagne market has grown by 13% in the last year and Sainsbury’s has been responsible for 60% of that growth. We think this is partly driven by a new tribe of ‘Champagne Surfers’ who research expert reviews and price details on the internet and the results are leading them to us.
“They’re not swayed by the big brand names and demand great value as well as taste. For this group, Champagne is fast becoming the affordable luxury they won’t do without. We are thrilled that we can compete with the well-known Champagne houses when it comes to quality and price.”
Source: Sainsbury’s
