Own-brand Prosecco grows 79% year-on-year at Lidl

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 13 February, 2017

Sky-high sales of Prosecco helped Dry January to get off to a damp start in 2017.

Discounter Lidl is reporting especially high sales of the Italian favourite in the month to January 31, with sales of their own brand Prosecco almost doubling in comparison to last year.

Lidl's Prosecco offering, which retails for £4.99, saw sales shoot up by 79% - a further blow to Champagne as it struggles to compete with the affordable luxury offered by Italian alternatives.

Statistics from IRI back up this shift in buying trends in the nation's supermarkets.

According to the IRI, the UK now accounts for more than three-quarters of all Prosecco sales in Europe, worth €600 million, in comparison with Champagne's €333 million worth of sales.

CGA Strategy confirms similar effects in the on-trade.

In the 12 months to November 5, 2016, overall Champagne sales (volume 9-litre cases) decreased by 12.9% in the UK bars, pubs and restaurants, while sales decreased in value by more than 3%.

There is also evidence to suggest that Prosecco's success finally appears to be opening doors for other fizz categories as drinkers look for well-priced fizz beyond Champagne.

According to Business France, exports of French Crémant - French sparkling wines made in the traditional method - to the UK increased by 53% in volume for the first 11 months of 2016, while value was up 61% in the same period to 2.4m euros.

Waitrose's sales figures corroborate this upward trend, reporting 20% volume growth of Crémant over the past year.

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