M&S has reported soaring demand for crémant in the run-up to Christmas, as shoppers turn away from pricier champagnes to more affordable sparkling wines.
Sales of M&S’ Classics No.12 Crémant de Bourgogne (rsp: £12/75cl) are up by 213% year on year, while overall sales of crémant across its Foodhalls are up by 140%.
Crémant has gone from making up 9% of M&S’ sparkling wines sales to nearly 20% in the past 12 months. The retailer expects to sell over 650,000 bottles of the budget-friendly French fizz this year, and 130,000 in December alone.
Crémant was “an equally top-quality, great-value alternative to champagne”, said M&S. The retailer’s own-label Delacourt Brut Champagne costs more than double that of its No.12 Crémant de Bourgogne, at £25 per 75cl bottle.
“We’re seeing more and more customers swap simpler bubbly for the deeper, toasty complexity of crémant, which is made in the same way as champagne but with the approachable price of prosecco,” said Dror Nativ, senior wine buyer at M&S Food. “It’s a great midway point that gives shoppers that noticeable step up in quality without having to spend much more.”
As well as its bestselling Classics No.12 Crémant de Bourgogne, M&S’ crémant lineup also includes Crémant d’Alsace Blanc de Blancs (rsp: £14/75cl), as well as white and rose Crémants de Bordeaux (rsps: £10/75cl).
“With four crémants in our range, we’re seeing shoppers experimenting with different styles,” said Nativ. “It’s quickly becoming a go-to choice for everything from festive celebrations to an easy midweek treat.
“Especially in the run-up to Christmas, people are looking for great-quality fizz that makes a real impact at a party but without spending champagne money, and crémant delivers exactly that.”
Crémant has defied the downward trend of declining French wine exports in recent years. While champagne shipments fell by 9.2% in 2024, according to the Comité Champagne, crémant sales climbed by 5.9%, according to the Fédération Nationale des Producteurs et Élaborateurs de Crémant.
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