It has been forecast that sparkling wine sales in UK supermarkets will have grown by 13.2 per cent by 2019, while wine as a broader category will experience growth of 1.8 per cent in Britain, TheDrinksBusiness.com reports.
The research, conducted by Vinexpo in conjunction with independent market research body the IWSR, suggests that globally speaking sparkling wine will grow in volume by 7.4 per cent, with Vinexpo CEO Guillaume Deglise referring to it as "probably the hottest category in the world" at present.
"Prosecco is very strong in the UK although it’s not really driven by brands," he said.
"It’s an unbranded category because people are asking for prosecco not a particular brand. That creates an opportunity for premium prosecco in the UK in the future.
"People would [in previous years] ask for champagne and be given prosecco", he added. "Now people are asking for prosecco. Because of the price point it is an everyday luxury, whereas champagne is seen as something to be enjoyed for a special occasion. Prosecco is no longer for a special occasion and that makes a big difference in consumption figures."
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Peter Donnelly. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
