The latest shipment figures from the Comité Champagne confirm that, for the first time since 2021, the UK market is back in growth.
Shipments to the UK rose by 1.9% in 2025 to 22.7 million bottles. As you can see in the figures below, this follows several consecutive years of decline after volumes peaked at nearly 30 million bottles in 2021 – a high widely attributed to post-pandemic demand.
A recovery in the UK had been widely anticipated by leading importers, many of whom have pointed to Champagne’s relative resilience compared with other alcoholic drinks categories, several of which continue to face declining demand.
Richard Billett, managing director of Maisons Marques et Domaines (the UK distributor for Champagne Louis Roederer), struck a cautiously optimistic tone. “It’s definitely not doom and gloom,” he told the drinks business.
“We are down from a peak in ’22 and ’23, but we are up on ’24,” he added.
Volume not value growth
Billett reported a 9% increase in UK volume sales for 2025, following a 6% decline in 2024, placing current performance between 2023 and 2024 levels. He also highlighted a shift in market dynamics: “Over the past 12 months, the focus has been on volume; 24 months ago, it was about value” – a sentiment supported by the shipments, with the number of bottles up 2%, but their value was down almost 6% (see table, bottom).
A key factor supporting demand has been what he described as “pricing stability,” even as producers absorb rising costs. These include higher duty rates, the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) packaging scheme, and increased expenses for labour, energy, and – most significantly – grapes from the 2021 and 2022 harvests, which underpin current releases.
Despite these pressures, Billett pointed to “reasons to be cheerful,” citing growth across the range, including Roederer’s Collection multi-vintage blend and its prestige cuvée, Cristal.
A similarly positive message came from Adam Guy, managing director of Champagne Laurent-Perrier UK, who said the brand has “done very well” in 2025 and “beaten the market.”
Champagne proving resilient
In hospitality, Guy reported “good momentum” behind the house’s premium products, alongside “some good wins in the on-trade.” More broadly, he noted that Champagne is outperforming many other drinks categories, while acknowledging ongoing cost pressures and market uncertainty.
At Champagne Bollinger, managing director Charles-Armand de Belenet also described 2025 as a strong year, “positive in both value and volume,” driven in part by the success of a James Bond limited edition release.
He said the decision to price the limited edition in line with Bollinger Special Cuvée helped reward loyal customers while adding appeal through presentation.
However, he cautioned that the premium segment is “suffering,” reflecting broader weakness in the fine wine market. By contrast, the Brut NV category continues to perform well, supported by promotional activity in markets including the UK.
“Champagne remains highly desirable,” he said. “With the right promotional strategy, it works.”
UK grows while the US slows
Champagne Pol Roger has also reported record UK sales of its Brut NV. According to UK managing director James Simpson MW, volumes surpassed previous highs “by quite a long way.”
Reflecting on long-term trends, he added: “We seem to have trained the UK consumer to continue to drink Champagne.”
The UK’s improved performance means it now accounts for 15% of total Champagne exports, up from 14.6% in 2024. This increase is partly due to a slowdown in shipments to the US, where oversupply has weighed on demand.
