The number of bottles fell 1.8% worldwide to 302 million last year, the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) said. But revenue was up 0.3% to a record €4.9 billion.
Jean-Marie Barillere attributes the volume decline to the yellow-vest protests in France and Brexit. French and UK sales together account for 60% of total volume. Sales in Britain fell for the third consecutive year. Volumes fell 11% in 2017, 9% in 2016, and this year they fell another 3.6%.
CIVC also blamed Italian prosecco, which is three to four times cheaper.