The MAT figure is buoyed up by the inclusion of the important November/December
bi-month at the end of 1999 when sales jumped by 54.7% in the UK off-trade,
which led to an MAT growth of 19.2% for the whole of 1999. It also includes
Sainsbury’s massive sell-off of cheap own-label fizz last Spring. Clearly since
then the market has slowed down steadily.
Champagne: UK still suffering the millennium blues as price cuts and overstock hit hard
Brands have been hit hard post-millennium as supermarkets work overtime to shift own-label stocks. And even the vital November/December period is not expected to bring Champagne houses much festive cheer in the UK this year. Giles Fallowfield analyses the figures.